# 


(SECOND    EDITION.], 


^a.    sis.:Eirro 


THE   LIF 


RANDOLPH  FAIRFAX, 


A   PBITATE   IM   THK  RAHKS  OF  THE  ROCKBRIDGE   ARTl'.LERT,  ATTACHED  TO 

THE  "3T0HEWAI4.   BRIGADE"   AND   StTBSEQUENTLy   TO     THE    liT 

REGT.   VA.    LIGHT   ARTILLERY,   2d     CORPS.     ARMY     OF 

NORTHERN    VIRGINIA  ;   IXCi.CDIMa    A 

BglEF    ACCODNT   Of 


JACKSON'S   CELEBRATED   VALLEY   CAMPAIGN. 


REV,   PHILIP    SLAUGHTER, 


RICHMOND,    VA. 

TvLKR,  Alleork  &  McDanul,  Enqcirkii  Job  Office 
lb64. 


.!»&:(»>»  Koirioiv.j 


J^     £»XS.£3a7CXX 


THE   LIFE 


RANDOLPH  FAIRFAX, 


A    PRI.VTE    IK    THE  HANK?  OF  TFIB  ROCKBRinOK   ARTILLERY,  ATTA  I  HKD  TO 

T  IK  "STONEWAI.L    BRIGADF:"    AND   ifUItSEQDKNTLY    TO     TUB     IST 

REGT.    VA.    LIGHT    ARTILLERY,   '2d     C'jRPS,     ARMY     OF 

NORTHERN'    VIRGINIA  ;    INCLUDING    A 

BRIEF    ACCOUNT    OF 


JACKSON  S   CELEBRATED  VALLEY   GAMPAIbN. 

BY    TRf 

v,Ev.  PHILIP  slaugiitkr; 

E'iiior  of  the  '■^Army  and  Navy  Mesatngcr  ' 


RICHMOXD,    VA. 

Tyliir,  Allegre  &  McDaniel,  Enquirkb  Job  OffiCE. 
1864. 


RFR 


IXTRODUGTION. 


Graj/s  Klcgy — The  Sontli    a  Grand  Cemetery — Honor  to  privafrs 
in.   the   ranks. 

Gray's  Ele.i^y  in  a  country  churchyard,  owes  its 
world-wide  popularity,  not  merely  to  the  eloo-ance 
of  the  language  and  the  musical  flow  of  the  verses, 
but  chiefly  to  the  fact  that  it  is  a  true  expression 
of  the  thoughts  and  feelings  which  snch  a  scene 
naturally  awakens  in  the  human  mind.  Few  could 
have  painted  the  picture,  but  every  enlightened  per 
son  recognizes  in  it  his  own  likeness.  If  such  a  sub- 
ject as  a  single  country  churchyard  inspired  such  a 
poem  in  on  ungenial  clime,  what  a  grand  elegy  the 
Poet  would  li.'we  written  had  he  been  born  in  our 
day  in  the  sunny  South,  whose  soil  is  cut  up  with 
sepulchres,  and  whose  blue  sky  is  the  ceiling  of  a 
vast  series  of  vaults  in  which  are  entombed  hosts 
of  young  cavaliers,  who  had  they  been  developed 
by  time  and  culture,  might  have  commanded  the 
applause  of  listening  Senators  or  swayed  the  rod  of 
empire.  When  old  men  die  it  seems  almost  as 
natural,  and  awakens  but  little  more  emotion  than 
when  the  evening  sun  goes  down.  When  little 
infants  in  their  early  dawn  close  their  soft  eyes  and 
breathe  no  more,  we  wonder  what  could  have  been 
the  design  of  an  All-wise  Providence  in  bringing 
into  the  world  so  many  young  immortals  just  to  look 
around  tliem  and  to  die.  But  when  the  maid  in  the 
bud  of  her  beauty  and  the  young  man  in  the  bloom 
of  his  youth,  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  landscape, 
and  while  hope  is  gladdening  their  vision  with  its 


SKETCH    01    THE    LIFE    OF 


enchanting'  perspectives,  are  suddenly  cut  down  like 
the  flower,  ''  these  are  the  tombs  that  claim  the  ten- 
der tear  and  the  elegiac  song."  But  men  in  the 
ranks  generally  have  no  poet,  and  they  die  not  un- 
wept but  ''unho'nored  and  unsung." 

Officers  reap  all  the  honors  of  war.  While  they 
live  their  brows  are  crowned  with  laurels,  and  their 
ears  are  regaled  with  the  sweet  music  of  praise. 
And  when  they  die,  their  names  and  memories  go 
down  to  future  ages  embodied  in  monumental  marble 
or  emblazoned  upon  the  pictured  pages  of  History. 
"  Officers  therefore  may  have  motives  other  than 
the  cause.  But  the  soldier  in  the  ranks  can  have 
none.  Me  knows  that  his  valor  must  generally  pass 
unnoticed  save  in  the  narrow  circle  of  his  companj^; 
that  his  sacrifices  can  bring  no  honor  to  himself  nor 
reputation  to  his  family."  He  knows  that  if  he 
survives,  he  lives  only  to  enter  upon  new  dangers, 
with  the  same  hopelessness  of  distinction  ;  that  if 
he  dies  he  will  fall  unepitaphed,  perhaps  uncoffined  ; 
and  yet  he  goes  into  battle  with  unfaltering  steps, 
proud  to  do  his  duty.  His  comrades  fall  around 
him  thick  and  fast,  yet  with  a  sigh  and  tear,  he  closes 
his  ranks  and  presses  on  to  a  like  destiny.  Sublime 
devotion !  If  honor  should  be  given  "  to  whom 
honor  is  due,"  then  let  us  render  everlasting  honor 
to  "  the  noble  army  of  martyrs"  whose  blood  cries 
to  Heaven  from  the  ground  on  which  they  fell,  and 
to  those  who  yet  fill  the  ranks  of  the  Confederate 
Army. 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX. 


CHAPTEa  1. 

Jiandolp/ifi  uju-estri/ — //i.s  pcrsonhl  appearance — ///.•«  dutlfulness — 
The  boat  incident — IUh  excursion  through  the  North — Ris  ac- 
(juai/Hance   with  Jfr.  Dcio>/. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  private  in  the 
ranks.  The  blood  of  two  historical  families  met  in 
his  veins,  and  are  both  represented  in  his  name — 
Randolpli  Fairfax.  Randolph  was  the  son  of  Dr. 
Orlando  Fairfax,  of  Alexandria,  who  is  the  grand- 
son of  Rev.  Bryan  Fairfax,  who  was  the  Rector  of 
Fairfax  pai-ish,  in  the  county  of  Fairfaxi§.and  who 
inherited  the  title  of  Lord  Fairfax.  His  mother 
was  tlie  dauf(hter  of  Jefferson  Gary  and  Virginia 
Randolpli,  the  sister  of  Governor  Thomas  Mann 
Randolph,  who  married  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
Jefferson,  the  author  of  the  Declaration  of  Ameri- 
can Independence,  and  tlie  Father  of  the  University 
of  Virginia.  Randolph  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Alexandria,  Va.,  on  the  23d  of  November,  1842. 
From  his  infancy  he  was  remarkable  for  an  almost 
womanly  beauty.  His  eyes  were  hazel  and  his  hair 
of  a  golden  brown,  his  features  regular  and  his 
complexion  brilliant.  These  soft  beauties,  as  he 
grew  in  stature,  were  developed  into  a  manly  form, 
which,  though  not  tall,  was  distinguislied  for  a  noble 
and  graceful  bearing.  His  outward  form  was  the 
fair  index  of  inward  purity.  Even  in  his  childhood, 
there  was  an  a))seuce  of  the  waywardness  and  fits 
of- passion  which  generally  characterise  that  age. 
From  his  earliest  years  it  was  suid  of  him  by  those 
who  knew  him  best,  '•  Randolph- is  actuated  by  a 
desire  to  do  his  duty  ;  his  conduct  seems  to  be  gov- 
erned by  principle."  After  passing  through  an  in- 
fant school  with  great  credit,  he  entered  at  ten  years 


6  SKETCH    OF    TfiE    LIFE    Oi? 

of  age,  the  High  School  of  Alexandria,  kept  by  that 
excellent  Preceptor  Benjamin  Hallo  well.  Even 
then  there  was  so  much  blended  dignity  and  gen- 
tleness in  his  bearing  that  his  teacher  was  wont  to 
say  of  him.  "  Randolph  is  a  little  gentleman,"  and 
his  associates  never  treated  him  with  rudeness  nor 
took  those  liberties,  to  repel  which  demands  the 
exhibition  of  what  is  called  spirit  in  a  boy.  He 
was  much  beloved  by  his  school  fellows,  because, 
they  said  Randolph  never  got  angry  and  always 
played  fairly.  And  yet  he  was  not  grave  nor  austere. 
None  partook  with  more  glee  than  he  of  the  games 
of  the  playground,  or  displayed  more  agility  and 
skill  in  th^m.  The  following  incident  will  illus- 
trate his  sense  of  duty,  even  at  that  early  age.  He 
was  a  member  of  a  boating  elub  which  used  on  sum- 
mer afternoons  to  go  rowing  on  the  Potomac  river.  ^ 
Sailing  had  been  prohibited  by  his  mother  as  dan- 
gerous. At  dinner  one  day,  he  said  to  bis  mother, 
"  The  boys  of  our  club  want  to  have  a  sail  this 
afternoon,  may  I  join  them"?  She  replied,  '*  No, 
my  son,  the  day  is  very  hot  and  I  am  sure  there  will 
be  a  storm,  and  I  should  not  have  a  moments  peace 
if  1  knew  you  were  on  the  river  in  a  sail-boat  I"  He 
said  no  more,  but  late  in  the  evening  he  came  in 
heated  and  dusty  and  told  his  mother  that  the  boys 
when  they  fouud  he  could  not  join  them  in  a  sail, 
gave  it  up,  '^  and  we  rowed,  ho  said,  four  miles  up  the 
river.  The  wind  was  then  fair  for  sailing  and  they 
wished  to  raise  the  sail.  1  insisted  upon  their 
doing  it  and  made  them  put  me  ashore  and  I  walked 
home.  ''  It  was  hard  to  do,  mamma",  he  said,  "  and 
I  have  had  a  very  hot  walk,  but  I  could  not  disobey 
you."  The  example  had  its  effect  upon  his  young 
companions,  for  the  mother  of  one  of  them  remark- 
ed in  a  few  days  to  Randolph's  father,  "you  may 
trust  that  boy  anywhere." 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  7 

In  the  months  of  August  and   September,    1854, 
Randolph  made  a  visit  to  his  aunt,  ^frs.  Gouverneur 
Morris  of  New  York,  wlio  had  a  son  near  his  own 
age,  and   accompanied   them  on  a  tour   tliroughout 
the  Northern    States.     During  tin's  tour  he  visited 
many    places    famous  as  the  scenes  of   interesting- 
events  in  our  first  Revolutioa.     His  uncle,  Mr.  Mor- 
ris,   being   well  acquainted  witli  these   places  and 
their   historical   associations,   made    the   excursion 
both  delightful  and  profitaltle  to  him.     While  on  a 
steamboat  on  Lake  Champlain,  a  gentleman  attrac- 
ted by  his   looks,  walked  up  to  Randolph   and  en- 
tered into  conversation  with  him,  asking  his  name, 
and  introducing  himself  as  i^^r.  Dewy,  of  New  Vork, 
once  a   Senator  of   that  State.     On  learning  Ran- 
dolph's name,  he  remarked.     "  1  would  not  like  to 
have  a  name  already   so  famous  that   1   could   add 
nothing  to  it."     Randolj)h  replied,   "  It  is  the  name 
of  my  ancestors,  and  if  they  have  made  it  famous,  I 
at  least  will  try  to  do  nothing  to  impair  its  bright- 
ness."    This   gentleman   continued  with  the  party, 
and  was  several  days  with  Randolph  at  Saratoga, 
and  when  they  parted  solicited  a  correspondence 
with  him.     Mr.  Dewy  was  a  man  between  thirty  and 
forty  years  of  age  and  of  considerable  literary  at- 
tainments.    He  frequently  sent  Randolph  copies  of 
kis  speeches  and  lectures.     For  some  years  he  also 
had  books  and  other  new  publications  sent   by  the 
publishers  in  New  York  to  Randolph  at  his  several 
schools.     His  letters,  which  we  have  had  the  plea- 
sure  of  reading,  were  quite  romantic  in   their  ex- 
pression of  friendship,  and  modestly  apologised  for 
intruding  on  one  who  already  had  so  many  to  love 
him. 


SKETCH    OF   THE    I.IFE    OK 


CPTAPTER  il. 


Randolph  at  the  TPnih  Srhool—IIis  Bh'thda)/  preHent—Hu  re- 
liijiom  imprenaiom — .'?//•.<?.  Vircpnia  Carif — The  Grandmother'H 
niUnon — H/>  firH  i-omnnnilov  —  llh  rufes  of  conduct — 7\'ie  gold 
medal  and  other  prizes — ///.v  Diar//. 

Tn  the  fall  of  tho  year  18^7,  Randolph  entere<l 
tbe_ Episcopal  Hio-li  Scliool,  |iiear  the  Theological 
Seiuiiiary  of  Viri^inia]  niidor  the  care  of  the  Rev- 
Joliii  P.  McGiiirc.  On  iiis  fonrteeuth  Idrthday, 
Randolpli  rorjucsted  his  mother  to  frSve  him  a  Bible 
as  a  birtljduy  present,  whjcli  he  said  he  would  try 
and  make  a  ji^ood  use  of  It  is  not  known  at  what 
time  he  received  his  first  reliu'ions  impressions. 
fie  had  been  from  his  earliest  years  a  Sunday  scliool 
scholar  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  "Alexandria,  of  which 
the  Rev.  James  T.  Johnston,  was  Rector.  Besides 
the. example  and  instruction  of  father  and  motlier, 
both  of  whom  were  communicants  at  St.  Paul's 
church,  he  was  the  special  subject  of  the  prayers 
and  nurture  of  his  grandmother,  Mrs.  Virginia 
Gary,  an  earnest  Christian  and  highly  accomplished 
woman,  the  tutelary  angel  of  the  house.  Beautiful 
and  almost  divine  is  the  mission  (Tf  an  enlightened 
and  Christian  grandmother.  Free  from  the  care 
of  the  house  and  retired  from  the  world  and  its 
frivolities,  she  enriches  the  house  of  her  daughter 
with. the  treasure  of  her  experience,  diffusing  joy 
and  doing  good.  She  possesses  that  kindness  which 
nothing  can  exhaust  and  that  infinite  tact  which, 
springing  from  love,  comprehends  and  anticipates 
every  ill.  She  lives  her  life  over  again  in  her  chil- 
dren and  grand-children,  and  of  all  the  human  fami- 
ly, she  alone  enjoys  the  beautiful  privilege  of  not 
feeling  the  pains  of  growing  old.     A  great  author 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX. 


tracing  the  ideal  type  ofa  perfect  woman,  gives  her 
a  grandmother  for  her  instructress,  remarking  at 
the  same  time  that  her  mother  was  an  excellent 
woman.  Madame  Campan  was  heard  to  say,  that 
of  all  the  children  entrusted  to  her  care,  the  best 
instructed  had  been  brought  up  by  a   grandmother. 

She  did  not  mean  the  best  instructed  in  letters, 
but  in  piety,  in  order,  in  submission,  in  obedience 
and  in  gentleness.  We  do  not  maintain  that  the 
grandmother  should  supersede  the  mother,  but  only 
inspire  and  direct  her  in  those  gracious  ways  which 
lead  to  virtue  by  pleasing  example— ways  which 
woman  knows,  ])ut  of  which  man  cannot  catch  the 
secret.  Sucli  a  grand  mother  it  was  the  privilege 
of  Randolph  to  have  in  his  home.  In  addition  to 
her  natural  gift  of  high  culture,  Mrs.  Gary  possess- 
ed  rare  colloquial  powers  which  made  her  a  charm- 
ing companion.  But  above  all  she  was  a  devout 
Christian,  beautified  by  the  graces  of  Faith,  Hope 
and  Charity.  Her  charming  talent  for  narrative 
made  her  the  especial  favorite  of  children,  and  she 
was  so  tlioughtful  of  their  pleasures,  that  she  gen- 
erally had  by  lier  a  little  store  of  good  things  for 
their  gratification.  There  are  those  whose  memo- 
ry recalls  with  admiration  and  gratitude,  the  form 
of  that  venerable  woman  seated  in  "  the  old  arm 
chair"  in  the  sweet  parlor  at  twilight,  with  the 
lovely  group  of  grand-children  at  her  knees,  look- 
ing up  into  her  bright  face  and  drinking  in  the  les- 
sons of  wisdom  and  love  which  arc  bearing  fruit  in 
eternity,  f©r  ^lie  has  welcomed  one  of  her  chief 
treasures  to  her  Heavenly  Home. 

K  it  be  true,  as  a  German  author  has  })eautifully 
said,  that  "  every  first  thing  continues  forever  with 
a  child— that  the  first  color,  the  first  music,  the  first 
flower,  paint  the  foreground  of  life — that  every 
new  educator  effects  less  than  his  predecessor,"  then 


Q  SKETCH    OF  THE    LIFE    OF 

we  must  conclude  that  Randolph  received  in  his 
own  home  the  seeds  that  were  now  beginning  to 
spring  up  to  view,  and  soon  commenced  bearing  their 
fruits  The  Bible  which  his  mother  had  given  him 
he  diligently  read.  Upon  entering  the  High  School 
he  joined  the  prayer  meeting,  and  his  chosen  com- 
panions were  the  more  pious  boys.  In  the  follow- 
ing summer  he' expressed  a  desire  to  be  confirmed, 
with  some  of  his  schoolfellows  in  the  Seminary 
Chapel.  His  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Johnston,  of  St. 
Paul's  Church,  Alexandria,  naturally  wishing  to  have 
the  privilege  of  presenting  so  gentle  a  lamb  of  his 
flock  for  this  interesting  rite  in  his  own  parish 
church,  Randolph  consented  to  postpone  his  con- 
firmation and  made  his  firat  profession  of  religion 
by  communion  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  four  months 
before  he  reached  his  fifteenth  year.  To  show  his 
conct  ption  of  the  Christian  character  of  which  he 
had  just  made  profession,  we  transcribe  from  his 
Diary,  commenced  about  this  time,  the  following 
rules  of  conduct : 

"  1st.  I  shall  endeavor  from  this  time  to  adhere  to  these  riileti  and 
at  the  end  of  each  diy  review  them  ;  and 

2d.  Throughout  c-.-h  day  I  shall  try  to  prcs-erve  a  seutje  of  tlie 
presence  of  God,  and  by  this  to  regulate  niy  actions. 

od.  Feeling  the  salvation  of  my  soul  as  paramount  to  all  other 
aims  and  that  it  is  my  duty  to  work  iu  Christ's  cause  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  I  will  do  niy  bCvSt  by  word  and  deed  to  lead  others 
into  the  way  everlasting. 

-1th.  Never  to  do  anything  which  I  have  reason  to  suppose  I  may 
afterv>^ards  repent  of,  and  of  which  the  lawfulness  is  doiibtfuL 

5th.  Not  to  allow  the  praisesof  meu  toinijiteme  to  any  wrong  ac- 
tion, feeling  that  I  kuow  tlie  sinfulness  of  my  heart  better  than  others; 
and  to  be  continually  on  my  guard  against  jaide  and" the  deceits  of 
the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil. 

6th.  To  guard  against  insincerity  and  too  inuch  levity  iu  conver- 
sation. To  endeaver  to  deny  myself  in  order  to  be  kind  and  chari- 
table to  all  around  me  ;  more  quick  to  see  the  Jaults  of  myself  than 
those  of  others,  knowing  that  all  I  have  is  from  God  and  that  all 
men  are  the  work  of  his  almighty  hand. 

7th,  To  improve  every  moment  of  time — to  think  much  of  the 


RA^DOLPH   FAIRFAX.  11 

shortness  of  life  and  that  I  mxy  at  any  moment  be  called  away  to 
meet  a  just  God. 

8tb.  IVever  to  do  rcnytliing  out  of  revenge,  or  to  do  avything  I 
should  ju&tly  think  mean  in  anothei'. 

9th.  Xot  ^to  speak  evil  of  anotlier  unless  some  particular  good 
come  from  it,  and  r  ot  to  speak  anything  that  may  produce  mirtli- 
fulnes^  on  the  Sabbath  day, 

.  loth.  To  inquire  every  iiight  when  I  go  to  bed  what  good  I  have 
done,  whether  I  have  been  negligent,  and  what  sins  I  have  com- 
mitted during  the  day. 

11th.  To  endeavor  to  grow  in  the  knowh  dge  of  myself  and  of 
my  sins,  and  continually  to  compare  the  great  majesty  of  God  with 
my  own  littleness,  and  to  trust  only  in  Him  to  bring  me  safely 
through  this  life." 

At  the  examination  at  tlie  High  School,  in  June 
of  tliis  year,  Randolph  took  the  honors  in  every 
class,  and  came  home  htden  with  medals  and  cer- 
tificates of  proficiency.  One  of  the  Examiners  ex- 
pressed his  gratification  that  one  of  the  "  old  names'^ 
was  again  so  distinguished.  A  newspaper,  giving  an 
account  of  the  exauiin.Mtion  was  sent  to  his  friend 
Mr.  Dewy,  nnd  elicited  a  highly  complimentary  Jet 
ter,  in  which  he  affect ionatciy  urged  him  not  to  sac^ 
rifice  his  health  to  his  studies. 

In  the  summer  of  1859,  Randolpli  took  the  higli- 
est  prize  at  the  High  School — the  "  gold  medal  ''— 
besides  many  smaller  prizes.  Mr.  McGuire,  the 
Principal  of  the  High  School,  having  been  asked 
by  a  brother  Clergyman  who  of  the  boys  he  had 
under  his  cliarge  he  considered  the  most  gifted, 
replied:  "Take  him  altogether,  Rajidolph  Fair- 
fax." What  were  his  own  private  thoughts  at  this 
intoxicating  period  of  his  life,  we  learn  from  his 
diary,  the  existence  of  which  was  unknown  even  to 
his  parents  until  after  his  death,  when  two  little 
manuscript  books  were  found  among  his  papers, 
endorsed  "  Private.''  In  this  record  of  his  daily 
experience  we  find  the  following  entries  of  this 
date  : 

*'I  fear  that  my  worldly    occupation?  are  fast  drawing  my  heart 


12  SKETCH    Oh    THE    LIFE   Oi< 

from  God;  that,  in  my  eagerness  to  be  prepared  for  my  school 
examinations,  I  forgot  the  great  examination  which  my  soul  must 
stand  at  the  bar  of  God.  Oh,  that  I  could  despise  the  things  of 
thiswoild;  could  lay  aside  all  my  v;iin  ambition,  and  have  the 
glory  and  service  of  God  as  my  chief  ambition  and  desire.  How 
little  are  these  vain  honors  compared  with  the  crown  of  glory  ! 
Oh!  that  I  could  estimate  them  aright,  and  could  see  myself  as  God 
sees  me !     Oh,  Father  have  mercy  upon  me  for  Christ's  sake  ! " 

Again,  on  Tuesday,  2lst  of  June,  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing record  : 

"  oil  !  that  I  could  always  bear  in  mind  that  I  must  one  day  stand 
an  examination  before  the  Judge  of  man  ;  but  especially  now,  while 
ray  scholastic  examinations  are  proceeding.  I  should  not  allow  them 
to  draw  my  attention  from  Heaven,  but  continually  remind  me  of 
that  final  judgment.  Oh!  if  I  should  then  be  found 'wanting  ! 
Oh  !  Father,  grant  me  Thy  grace,  keep  me  from  falling,  and  let  not 
eflch  day  pass  in  forgetfulness  of  Thee,  to  whom  I  owe  all  my 
blessings." 


RANDOLPH    TAIRFAX.  13 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Randolph  at  Unioersiiji  of  Virginia'-Profrssoi'  Ilinors  P raver- 
Meeting — Influence  of  Frofessort — Graduation — Rules  for  sjiend- 
ing  Sundai/. 

From  the  High  School  Randolph  went  to  Din- 
widdie  Academy,  in  Albemarle.  We  have  but 
few  facts  in  relation  to  this  year  of  his  life,  except 
the  most  satisfactory  testimonials  of  his  good  con- 
duct and  proficiency  in  his  studies.  He  commenced 
a  new  diary  at  this  era  of  his  life,  in  which  we  lind 
the  following  record  of  his  estimate  of  himself, 
which  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the  golden  0})inions 
his  conduct  won  from  his  teachers,  school  fellows 
and  associates  : 

"  October  lytb,  Iso'.^. 
"Oil,  I'atlier,  iu  eoninieiicitig  to  record  the  leelings  of  my  la-art, 
preserve  me  from  all  hypocrisy,  enable  me  to  deal  with  my  heart 
in  sincerity,  and  keep  me  from  being  deceived  in  a  matter  of  so 
much  importance  as  the  salvation  of  my  stjul.  Although  I  profess 
to  be  a  servant  of  God,  I  feel  that  my  conduct  is  liitle  different 
from  that  of  an  unconverted  soul;  that  I  have  not  the  t-ingle  eye 
to  God's  glory,  and  that  love  to  Christ,  producing  love  to  all  man- 
kind, which  befit  a  true  Christian.  My  sinful,  deceitful  heart  is  too 
much  engrossed  in  worldly  Cares,  and  the  god  self  is  worshipped 
instead  of  my  Maker.  Oh,  God,  keep  me  from  such  vile  ingrati- 
tude as  to  spurn  the  offers  of  my  ble.-^sed  Siviour,  and  of  render- 
ing Thee  the  hollow  service  with  which  I  have  formerly  been  con- 
tent." 

In  the  fall  of  1860  Randolph  matriculated  at  the 
University  of  Virginia.  His  diligence  and  success 
in  his  studies  is  sufficiently  attested  by  the  fact  that 
he  graduated  with  distinction  the  first  session  in 
French,  Latin  and  Mathematics.  He  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  so  engrossed  by  his  studies  as  to  have 
negleeted  the  culture  of  his  soul.  He  availed  him- 
self gladly  of  the  means  of  grace  within  his  reach. 


14  BKErCH    OF    THE    LIFE    OF 

Among  these  was  a  Bible  Class,  taught  by  Profes- 
sor Minor,  who,  though  a  Professor  of  the  Law, 
is  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  whose 
Bible  Classes  for  students  in  the  Chapel  of  the 
University,  and  for  servants  in  his  own  Parish 
church,  furnish  a  pleasing  example  of  the  manner 
in  which  our  literary  laymen  may  lay  their  laurels 
at  the  foot  of  the  Cross.  It  is  a  matter  of  devout 
thankfulness  to  Almighty  God  that  the  influence  of 
tlie  Professors  at  the  University  of  Virginia  has 
been  for  so  many  years  so  decisively  a  Christian 
influence.  It  is  a  fact  well  calculated  to  arrest  the 
attention  of  careless  young  men,  and  to  encourage 
those  who  have  already  commenced  a  Christian 
life,  to  see  men  eminent  in  all  the  walks  of  science 
and  literature  casting  the  weight  of  their  authority 
into  the  scale  of  Christianity.  It  is  believed  that 
there  is  not  a  Professor  at  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia who  would  not  gladly  make  his  attainments 
tributary  to  this  great  end. 

From  his  relative,  Julian  Fairfax,  we  have  just 
learned  some  interesting  facts,  illustrating  Ran- 
dolph's life  at  the  University.  The  Christian  Asso- 
ciation was  very  flourishing  at  this  time,  and  Ran- 
dolph was  a  very  efficient  member  of  it.  By  this 
Society  the  College,  including  the  dormitories 
proper,  and  the  boarding  houses  in  the  neighbor- 
hood were  hiid  off  in  districts.  In  each  of  these, 
pra}er-meetin.£i:s  were  held  every  week,  and  Ran- 
dolph was  a  regular  and  active  attendant.  By  the 
example  of  his  daily  life,  no  less  than  by  his  fer< 
vent  prayers,  be  preached  the  Gospel.  Committees 
were  sent  out  by  tlie  x\ssociation  to  hold  regular 
services  at  destitute  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
University.  One  of  these  visited  the  Poor  House, 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  college,  and  read 
the  scriptures  to  the  poor,  with  brief  exhortations 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX  15 

and  prayers.  When  Randolph  conducted  the  meet- 
ing, he  prepared  himself  by  fervent  prayer  and  care- 
ful study.  His  public  prayers  were  earnest  and  ap- 
propriate, and  his  addresses  serious  and  impressive. 

In  Nov.  1860,  two  military  companies  were  formed 
and  tendered  their  services  to  the  Governor.  Ran- 
dolph was  a  member  of  the  Southern  Guard. 
These  companies,  with  the  volunteer  companies  of 
Charlottesville,  celebrated  Jefferson's  birthday  by 
a  grand  parade.  During  the  parade  news  came  of 
the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter,  whereupon  a  grand  sa- 
lute was  fired.  Two  days  afterwards  these  com  pa- 
nic's volunteered  to  accompany  the  Charlottesville 
companies  to  Harper's  Ferry.  Randolph  was  very 
anxious  to  go,  but  he  was  restrained  by  a  letter 
from  home,  telling  him  not  to  go  until  he  was  or- 
dered ;  and  he  yielded,  as  he  had  ever  done,  his 
wishes  to  the  will  of  his  parents. 

It  was  while  a  student  at  this  institution  that  he 
inscribed  in  his  diary  the  following  rules  for  spend- 
ing the  Sabbath : 

"  1.  Perforai  niv  usual  dovotious  and  read  the  chapter  for  the 
Bible  Class. 

2.  After  Bible  Class  attend  Church,  spend  the  time  till  dinner 
in  examination,  reading  and  prayer. 

3.  After  dinner  read  till  p-ayer  meeting,  and,  after  prayer  meet- 
ing, walk  with  a  Christian  coinpaniou,  and  endeavor  to  make  the 
conversation  as  suitable  as  poss'.ble  to  Sunday. 

•i.  After  supper  attend  Church,  or  spend  the  time  in  reaiiiio', 
contemplation,  &c. 

5.  Endeavor  at  all  times  to  remember  that  it  is  precious  time, 
and  to  guard  against  indolence." 

It  was  during  his  session  at  the  University  of 
Virginia  that  the  State  of  V^irginia  seceded  from 
the  United  States,  and  most  of  the  students  with- 
drew and  volunteered  in  the  army.  Randolph  was 
anxious  to  follow  their  example,  but,  in  deference 
to  the  wishes  and  remonstrances  of  others,  he  was 
induced  to  remain  until  the  end  of  the  session. 


10  SKETCH    OF   THE    LIFE    OF 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Jlllitayy  School  at  the  Univerxity  The  Battle  of  Manassan — ii'a»- 
dolph  ejilists  in  the  Rockbridge  Artillery — His  letters  from  the 
Armii — His  contentment  arid  cheerfulness — Incidents  of  Camp 
Life  in  Fairfax — Review  of  Stonewall  Brigade— Sir  James  Fcr- 
gitsso7i — Crossing  the  Mountains — Gen.  Johnsoi^s  compliment  to 
the  Brigade — Jackson's  Farewell,  (be. 

During  the  vacation,  the  University  was  con- 
verted into  a  military  school,  and  Randolph  passed 
from  the  groves  of  the  academy  to  the  campus  mar- 
tins. In  the  meantime  the  battle  of  Manassas  was 
fought,  and  then  the  University  became  a  hospital. 
Randolph  assisted  in  receiving  and  nursing  the 
wounded  soldiers,  and  could  no  longer  resist  the 
call  to  the  field  of  battle.  He  repaired  to  Manas- 
sas Junction  and  enlisted,  as  a  private,  on  the  12th 
of  August,  1861,  in  the  Rockbridge  Battery,  then 
commanded  by  Captain  (now  General)  Wm.  N. 
Pendleton,  and  afterwards  by  Captains  (now  Ma- 
jors) McLaughlin  and  Poague,  and  more  recently 
by  Capt.  Graham.  For  our  knowledge  of  his  career 
as  a  soldier,  we  are  indebted  chiefly  to  the  familiar 
letters  of  himself  and  his  mess-mates,  from  the 
camp  letters,  written  upon  scraps  of  paper  in  pen- 
cil, and  with  the  off-hand  freedom  of  a  family  cor- 
respondence. Randolph's  letters  contain  a  continu- 
ous description  of  Jackson's  wonderful  campaigns, 
as  they  appeared  to  a  boy  of  18  years  of 
age  in  tlie  ranks.  This  is  a  point  of  view 
from  which  we  do  not  often  look  at  the 
evolutions  of  armies.  This  fact,  by  itself,  in- 
vests these  letters  with  interest.  We  shall  repro- 
duce copious  extracts  from  them  because  they  add 
something  to  the  materials  of  history,  and  are  fit- 
ted to  do  good,  by  their  moral  and  religious  tone, 
their  glowing  patriotism  and  the  spirit  of  content- 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  17 

ment  and  cheerfulness  which  they  breathe,  in  the 
midst  of  the  severest  trials  to  which  a  youth  so 
gently  nurtured  could  be  exposed.  His  letters,  too, 
hastily  as  they  have  been  penned,  are  characterized 
by  a  vein  of  strong  common  sense  unusual  in  one 
so  young,  and  by  uncommon  sagacity  in  speculating 
upon  the  probable  objects  of  movements  in  the 
army,  from  August  12th  to  October '61,  describe  his 
first  impressions  of  Manassas  Junction,  which  any 
one  who  visited  it  during  the  winter  and  fall  of  '61, 
would  recognize — his  walk  to  Centreville  in  a 
drenching  rain,  over  the  late  battle-field,  and  his 
enlistment  in  the  Rockbridge  Battery — enumerates 
his  mess-mates,  among  whom  are  Kinloch  Nelson, 
Jim  Garnett,  L.  Macon,  L.  Blackford  and  "other 
nice  fellows' — his  visits  to  his  old  friends  of  the 
IVth  Virginia;  his  pleasure  at  hearing  the  familiar 
voices  ot  Bishop  Johns  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walker, 
on  two  successive  Sundays  ;  his  experience  in  cook- 
ing— his   amusement  "  in  seeing ,    with  his 

sleeves  rolled  up,  wasking  dishes  and  making  up 
bread"— makes  light  of  the  so-called  discomforts 
of  camp-life— describes  a  review  of  the  Virginia 
troops  and  presentation  of  flags  by  Governor 
Letcher — a  review  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade  by 
Generals  Johnson,  Beauregard  and  Smith,  in  the 
presence  of  two  members  of  the  English  Parlia- 
ment— Sir  James  Fcrgusson  and  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Burke — the  concentration  of  troops  at  Centreville, 
and  the  construction  of  breastworks — the  marcli- 
ing  and  countermarching  to  Fairfax  Court  House 
and  Centreville — the  picketings  at  Mason's,  Mun- 
son's  and  Upton's  hills — rejoices  in  the  open  air 
and  active  life,  and  expresses  the  opinion  that  with 
a  little  precaution,  suggested  by  common  sense,  a 
soldier,  if  he  has  a  good  constitution,  ought  to  bo 
more  healthy  than  other  men.     He  represents  his 


l8  SKETCH    OP   THE    LIFE    OF 

experience  of  camp  as  very  pleasant  so  far,  and  he 
has  no  desire  to  be  an  officer.  "  My  situation  is 
the  more  desirable  of  the  two — I  have  none  of  an 
officer's  cares  and  responsibilities — I  have  as  ao-rec- 
able  companions  as  I  have  ever  had  at  school  or 
college — have  as  many  privileges  as  I  desire,  and 
live  as  well  as  most  officers,  and  better  than  many. 
The  additional  honor  is  very  little  in  my  opinion, 
as  my  experience  has  shown  me  that  epaulets  are 
not  always  criteria  of  merit.  The  attraction  of 
office  would  not  induce  me  to  give  up  the  agreeable 
society  and  companionship,  and  light  duty  of  my 
present  situation."  He  then  bewails  "  the  desola- 
tion of  Fairfax,  where  barren  fields,  dilapidated 
houses  and  old  camp  grounds  testify  to  the  rava- 
ges of  war;"  and  concludes  with  the  lamentation,  **I 
am  afraid  poor  old  Alexandria  will  never  raise  her 
head  again." 

The  summer  holidays,  and  drills,  and  dress  pa- 
rades were  now  passed,  and  he  was  called  to  look 
at  the  more  serious  features  of  "grim  visaged  war.^' 
Jackson  had  been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
Valley,  and  had  taken  leave  of  his  old  brigade  in 
a  characteristic  speech,  concluding  with,  the  now 
historical  passage,  ''You  were  the  first  brigade  in 
the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  the  first  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  the  first  in  the  2d  Corps,  and  the 
first  in  the  affections  of  your  commander."  Jack- 
son's command  consisted  of  his  old  brigade,  some 
thousands  of  militia,  and  Ashby's  cavalry.  In  a 
letter  dated  the  l2th  of  November,  Randolph 
says: 

•'  Last  Friday  we  marched  from  6  A.  M.  to  7  P.  M.,  stoppiug  only 
to  water  the  horses — marching  25  miles,  of  which  I  walked  22 ; 
slept  that  night  in  a  barn— next  d  ly  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  in  a 
drenching  rain.  Many  of  the  rae>i  were  drinking  and  disorderly — 
reached  Berryville  that  evening,  and  were  quartered  in  the  Court 
House.     I  and  three   friends  were   hospitably  entertained  by  Dr. 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  19 

Kovirii?lar,  and  actually  slept  in  feather  beds  without  taking  cold. 
We  started  the  next  day  (Sunday)  just  as  the  Church  bells  were 
ringing,  and  marched  to  Winchester." 

November  24th,  he  writes  : 

'*  Our  camp  ia  pretiily  situated  an;ong  some  cedar  knolls  near 
Winchester,  and  \3  occasionttllv  enlivened  bv  the  presence  of  the 
ladies." 

He  speaks  of  the  hospitalities  of  the  Wiliiams' 
and  the  Barton's,  both  ©f  whom  had  sons  in  the 
battery.     He  says  : 

*'  I  cm  hardly  realize  that  this  is  Sunday,  so  different  from  the 
Sundays  of  former  day^.  ELow  little  did  I  think,  last  year,  when 
I  \v:AS  enjoying  those  deligiitful  Sundays  at  home,  thj.t  i  fchould 
ever  spend  one  in  such  circumstances.  There  is,  uufoi 'unitely, 
too  much  truth  it^  the  saying,  'there  is  no  Sanday  in  war.'  But 
Sunday  here  is  perfect  enjoyment  to  what  it  was  at  Centreville, 
where  the  chief  difference  between  it  and  other  day.<>,  seemed  to  be 
absence  of  drills.  Yesterday  was  my  19th  birthday,  and  it  makes 
me  quite  patriarchal  to  thir.k  of  it.  I  Suppose  the  Lieut.  Fairfax, 
mentioned  in  the  capture  of  Mason  and  Slidell,  is  tbe  person  who 
was  our  cousin  Donald,  for  I  do  not  care  to  recognize  the  relation- 
ship any  longer." 


20  SKETCH  OF    THE    LIFE    OF 


CHAPTER  Y. 

The  Winter  Campaign  to  BiUh  and  /lancock — liin  Furlough — 
Vint  to  Richmond  ajid.  return  to  Camp  at  Cedar  C)'tek — Th« 
Battle  of  Kernstovm — Retirement  up  the  Valley — The  Battle  of 
McDowell — Dr.  Dabnei/s  Sermon. 

We  continiie  our  estra^is  fi-om  Randolph's  c®r- 
respondcnce,  January,  18G2  : 

•'Lf^aviug  Wiuchester  on  t'le  first  and  iriiirohuiir  about  32  niilee, 
we  reached  BaLli  oii'the  4tli,  'aud  driviug  the  Yankees  out,  fol- 
lowed them  to  the  rivyr.  That  nifj^bt,  and  luost  of  the  foUowiBg 
day,  our  B.ittovy  was  engaged  in  fii  ing  at  the  town  of  Hancock, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Potomac,  and  at  the  Federal  batteries. 
I  suppose  our  movement  vvas  a  feint-  to  cover  GiHiam's  operations 
towards  Capon  Bridge.  During  this  trip  my  patriotism  was  put  to 
a  severe  test,  by  marching  through  the  mountains  over  the  icy 
roads  as  smooth  as  glass — bivouacking  at  night  in  tTie  snow,  and 
rolling  the  heavy  guns  up  the  slippery  steeps  by  day.  On  the  day 
we  left  the  Potomac  we  marched  from  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning 
till  twelve  at  night,  and  only  made  seven  or  eight  miles.  Even 
then  we  did  not  reach  our  wagons  and  had  to  sit  around  our  firea 
one  of  the  coldest  nights  I  ever  felt.  The  next  day  we  overtook 
our  wagons  about  sundown,  and  pitched  into  a  good  supper  which 
our  cook  had  prepared  for  us,  having  been  without  food,  save  a 
morsel  by  the  way,  for  thirty  six  hours.  Three  roads  meet  here 
leading  to  Romney,  Winchester  and  Martinsburg,  either  of  which 
we  may  take. '  * 

Jackson  took  the  road  to  Romney,  and  in  the 
meantime  Randolph,  being  determined  to  re-enlist, 
got  his  first  furlough  and  visited  his  family  in  Pach- 
mond.  When  he  returned  to  the  field  his  command 
was  encamped  at  Cedar  Creek,  about  two  nsiles 
from  Strasburg,  Jackson  having  evacuated  Win- 
chester and  retired  from  tlje  Yalley. 

The  following  is  his  account  of  the  battle  ©f 
Kernstown :  # 

"  On  the  22d  of  March,  much  to^our  surprise,  we  took  up  the 
line  of  march  towards  Winchester'  I  suppose  the  object  of  the 
move  was  to  keep  Banks'  force  in  the  Valley.    We  met  the  ene- 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  21 

my  at  Kerustowu.     The  battle  began  about  two  o'clock,  and  raged 
fiercely  until  night.     Our  force  was  not  more  than  3,500  infantry, 
cavalry  and  artillery,  while  that  of  the  enemy  was  more  than  10,0(0. 
On  our  way  to  our  pociition  our  Battery  had  to  cross  a  wide  open 
bottom  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  Yankee  artillery.     Several  shells 
exploded  near  u.=,  disabling  one   of  our  guns.     Just  before  we  got 
into  position  a  shell  passed  through  one  of  the  wheel  horses  of  our 
third  piece  and  into  the  other,  where  it  exploded,  tearing  ofl'the 
legs  of  the  driver  and  the  foot  of  a  man  walking  by  the  gun.     It 
was  a  horril)le  sight  to  see  the  mangled  horses  and  men  Iving  help- 
less on  the  ground.     We  got  into  position  about  three  o'cloeds,  and 
were  firing  until  it  was  nearly  dark.     The  infantry  had  by  this  time 
•fallen  back  nearly  to  our  position^  and   our  gunswere    turned    to 
pour  canister  into  the  Yankees  so  soon  as    they   should   appear  on 
the  edge  of  the  woods.     The  position  was  unluckily  a  bad  one,  as 
they  were  able  to  come  too  near  under  corver  of  the  woods.     Con- 
sequently our  fire  was  not  so  effective  as  it   otherwise    would  have 
been,  although  we  lejirned  afterwards   that  it  was  very  destiuctive. 
The  Yankee  Captain,  Sciniher,  says  in  his  repoit:  'that  the  Rebels 
advanced  their  heavy  battery    (that  was  our'.s)   which  threw  some 
well  directed  shots   in  our  (Yankee)  battery,    and  our   cavalry  and 
infantry  on  the  slope  of  the  hill,  soon  rendering  it  evident  that  the 
Rebel  battery  would  have  to  be  taken.' 

"  This  explains  the  advance  of  the  Yankee  infantry  on  our  flank. 
The  Yankee  Captaiu  furthi-r  says,  'that  the  canister  from  our  bat- 
tery strewed  the  gioiind  with  dead  acd  dying., and  broke  the  in- 
fantry that  was  "charging  us.' 

"Our  drivers  being  raw  hands  we  were  so  long  limbering  up  that 
two  of  our  men  were  wounded,  on«  of  our  horses  struck  in  three 
places  and  his  mate  in  one.  In  this  state  we  drove  off  the  field 
while  the  minnie  balls  were  flying  at  a  most  uncomfortable  rate, 
and  succeeded  in  getting  our  piece  into  a  little  hollow  in  the  woods, 
where  our  worst  wounded  horse  fell  dead.  Discovering  that  we 
were  now  beiween  the  lines,  our  Lieutenant  ordered  us  to  cut  the 
traces  and  make  the  best  time  in  getting  away,  which  we  did  in 
Bull  Run  style.  I  hated  nrghtily  to  lose  our  old  piece.  It  was 
one  taken  at  Manassas,  and  one  of  the  best  of  our  six  pounders. 
It  is  some  consolation  to  think  that  we  got  it  off  the  field  and  only 
left  it  when  onr  horse  wa-^  kiL'ed  and  there  was  no  time  to  put  in 
another.  I  havn  great  reason  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  my  preser- 
vation, and  that  of  my  friends.  My  only  trust  in  such  times  of  dan- 
ger is  that  I  am  v'utirely  in  God's  hands,  and  He  will  preserve  me 
"Until  His  own  good  time.  Our  piece  was  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 
"I  escaped  with  a  bullet  hole  through  the  skirt  of  ^ny  coat.  Our 
men  acted  very  gallantly.     One  of  our  mess  received  a   letter  from 

his  father,  Mr. of  "Winchester,   saying  that  the 

enemy's  loss,  as  estimated  by  a  person  who  visited   the   hospitals, 

was  800  wounded  and  500  killed — while  our  killed,  whom  Mr. 

helped  to  bi;ry,  numbered  85,  and  our    wounded  in  the  ene- 


22  SKETCH    OF    THE    LIFE    OF 

my's  hands  92.  Our  total  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  about 
4-25.  I  am  told  that  the  battle  of  Kernstown  is  considered  in 
Kichmond  a  victory,  and  I  suppose  it  was,  since  we  inflicted  a 
heavier  loss  than  we  suffered,  and  gained  our  object  in  keeping 
their  large  army  occupied  by  our  small  one.  Our  army  has  been 
increased  in  numbers  since  the  battle  by  recruits  and  drafts  from 
the  militia.  The  night  after  the  batt!e  we  encamped  about  four 
miles  from  the  field,  and  leisurely  began  our  retreat  the  next  day 
iihout  ten  o'clock,  eating  our  dinner  at  Cedar  Creek,  and  then 
m-Arching  to  our  old  camp  ground,  about  two  miles  above  Wood- 
stock. The  Yankees  are  at  Edinburg  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  and  our  guns  are  sent  down  every  few  days  and  have  artil- 
lery duels  with  them," 

Jackson  soon  resumed  his  retreat  up  the  Valley, 
and  reaching  Harrisonburg  turned  towards  the  Blue 
Kidge,  and  crossing  the  Shenandoah  took  his  posi- 
tion in  Elk  Run  valley,  near  Swift  Run  Gap.  Here 
t!ie  troops  were  exposed  for  several  days  to  heavy 
rains  without  tents^  On  the  16th  of  May,  Randolph 
writes  from  the  foot  of  Shenandoah  mountain, 
whither  Jackson  had  gone  to  meet  Milroy  advan- 
cing from  towards  Monterey : 

"Since  my  last  letter,  we  have  been  constantly  moving.  In 
two  weeks  we  have  been  in  the  counties  of  Rockingham,  Albe- 
marle, Augusta,  Highland  and  Pendleton,  crossing  the  Blue  Eidge 
and  Shenandoah  mountains  twice,  and  have  fought  a  battle  on  the 
western  slope  of  Bull  Pasture  mountain,  at  McDowelL  From  the 
nature  of  the  ground  artillery  could  not  be  used  on  our  side.  While 
the  battle  v^as  proceeding  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  we  were  in 
Camp  on  this  side.  The  fight  began  just  before  sundown  and  lasted 
until  nine  o'clock.  Our  Brigade  marched  up  the  mountain  juat 
before  the  fight  commenced,  and  was  then  marched  back  about 
five  miles  to  camp  to  cook.  It  was  again  sent  for,  and  the  firing 
ceased  just  as  we  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain  the  second  time. 
This  movement  of  Jackson's  was  a  great  surprise  to  the  Yankees, 
who  left  behind  many  tents  and  Rtores,  and  destroyed  more.  There 
are  so  many  gorges  and  defiles  in  these  mountains  that  the  pursuit 
of  the  enemy  must  be  slow  and  cautious  or  our  victory  would  have 
been  more  fruitful.  I  think  it  probable  our  next  destination  will  be 
Harrisonburg,  where,  uniting  with  Ewell,  we  may,  by  God's  bless- 
ing, drive  the  Yankees  out  of  the  Valley. 

"I  was  much  pleased  with  a  sermon  preached  for  us  last  Monday 
by  Dr.  Dabney— the  day  set  apart  by  Gen.  Jackson  as  a  day  of  rest 
and  thanksgiving.  The  services  were  held  within  hearing  of  the 
enemy's  guns  and  were  impressive.    Dr.  Dabney's  view  of  the  war 


ilANDOLrn   FAIRFAX.  23 

was  that  it  was  a  visitation  of  God  upon  us  for  our  sins,  and  that 
it  would  not  cease  until  the  purpose  of  God  was  accomplished — that 
is,  uiinil  our  people  repent  and  turn  to  God  ;  or  else  it  may  ceas0 
for  awhile,  and  when  our  cup  of  iniquity  is  full  more  terrible  pun-^ 
ishments  may  come  upon  us.  He  also  said,  that  God  sometime.* 
uses  a  more  wicked  instrument  to  punish  a  more  innocent  one,  bnt 
that  the  punishment  of  the  more  wicked  instrument  would  surely 
fall  .sooner  or  later,  with  terrible  vengeance.  He  spoke  of  the 
Babylon  of  the  North  and  predicted  its  downfall  and  destruction. 
His  view  is,  tb.at  nations,  as  they  cannot  be  punished  iu  the  nt- xt 
world  are  punished  in  this  for  national  sins — a  view  I  think  entirely 
coinciding  with  the  Bible.  I  think  the  fate  of  the  country  is  now 
in  the  hands  of  the  praying  people,  and  though  I  cannot  see  how  or 
when,  I  ])clieve  (iod  will  certainly  answer  the  prayers  of  His  faithful 
people  in  t!ie  land.  I  believe  I  have  not  told  you  of  the  new  di.-<cipline 
of  our  army.  We  have  come  to  be  veterans — have  no  tents,  carry 
our  knapsack  and  blankets,  never  ride  on  caisson'',  obey  orders 
implicitly  without  enciuiring  the  why  or  wh.erefore,  and,  in  ca.-^o  of 
necessity,  can  live  on  half  rations  and  not  think  it  anything  r<> 
markabie.  When  expecting  a  fiuht  our  rations  are  six  hard  rrack- 
ers  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  pork  a  dav." 


24  SKETCH    OF    THE    LIFE   OF 


CHAPTER  VL 


Battles  of  FrooH  Royal  and  Winchester — Puvfuoit  of  the  Yankees  to 
the  Potomac — Prisoners  and  Spoils — Yankee  Breastplates — Fre- 
niont  and  Shields. 

Randolph's  anticipations  were  realized.  Jackson 
went  in  pursuit  of  the  Yankees  in  the  Valley.  In 
his  next  letter  dated  the  27th  of  May,  1862,  our 
young  friend  says : 

"Last  Friday  we  made  a  forced  marcli  from  Luray  to  Front  Roy- 
al, a  distance  of  twenty-seven   miles — surprised  the  Yankees   sta- 
tioned there,  (two   regiments  with   cavalry  and  artillery)  took  the 
town,  with  a  large  amount  of  quartermaster  and  commissary  stores, 
and  about  700  prisoners  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.     And  all  this 
with  the  loss  of  only  two  or   three  killed  and  wounded.     The  Yan- 
kees left  in  such  a  hurry  that  they  did   not  have  time  to  burn  two 
fine    bridges  which  they  had  just  built   across   the   two  branches 
of  the  river  at  that  point.     By  a  strange  coincidence  one   of  the 
Yankee  regiments  was  the    1st  Maryland,  who  came  into  contact 
with  our  1st  Maryland,  who  completely   routed    the  Yankees,  cha- 
sing them  througli  the  town,  and  taking  their   camp   and  colors, 
and  a  good  many  prisoners.     Nearly  all  the  remainder  of  the  regi- 
ment, with  their  Colonel,  Lieut.  Colonel,  Major  and  many  captains 
were  brought   in  that  night   by  the    cavalry.     The  next  day  we 
marched  on  towards  Winchester  and  then  struck  off  to  the  left  to 
get  into  the  Valley  turnpike  at  Middletown  and  cut  off  the  Yankee 
forces  at  Strasburg.     We   captured   at   Strasburg  many  prisoners 
and  a  large  amount  of  medical  and  other  stores,  and  I  have  heard 
a  battery  of  six  guns,  that  was  escaping  by  a  by-road  to  Moorfield. 
"This  last  I  am  not  quite  certain  about.     Our  cavalry  also  cap- 
tured almost  the  whole  baggage  train  of  the  Yankees,  consisting  of 
hundreds  of  wagons.     Puvshing  on  all  tliat  day  and  all  night  without 
the  least  rest,  driving  the  Yankees  before  us,  we  reached  Winches- 
ter a  little  before  daybreak.     Here  the  Yankees  made  a  stand  and 
while  we  attacked  them  in  front,  Ewell's  division  attacked  their 
leit  flank,  on  another  road.     The  battle  began   at  early  dawn  and 
lasted  about  two  hours  and  a  half,  when  by   a  general  charge  our 
men  drove   the    Yankees   from  their   position,  completely  routing 
them  and  chasing  them  at   a   double  quick  through    W  inchester. 
Such  a  rout  has  not  been  seen  since  ManasSa ;  arms,  knapsacks, 
blankets  and  ail  sorts  of  accoutrements,  were   strewn   along  the 
route  of  their  flight.     We  pressed  them  for  five  miles  beyond  Win- 
chester, but  the  broken  down   condition  of  our   troops  compelled 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  25 

the  infantry  to  stop.  The  cavalry  contuiued  the  pursuit.  It  i.s  im- 
possible for  me  to  form  an  estimate  of  our  captures.  I  know  thar 
our  loss  is  small,  and  the  n umber  of  our  pri^■oncrs  must  be  n^nr 
3,000;  the  amount  of  stores,  ammouiTion,  &c.,  is  very  larg'\  We 
were  exposed  to  a  hot  fire  from  some  siiarp-sliooters  behind  a  stone 
wall,  as  v\-ell  as  a  h-^avy  a.tiliery  fire.  I'oor  Boh  McKim  and  an- 
other was  killed,  and  we  have  sixteen  wounded.  It  is  only  through 
the  blessin^cs  of  God  that  none  of  us  were  hurt.  Our  passage 
through  Winchester  was  perfectly  glorious.  Tlie  pavements  were 
crowded  with  women,  cliildren  and  old  men,  waving  their  handker- 
chiefs, weeping  for  joy  and  shouting  as  we  passed  at  double-quick. 
Our  troops  were  loaded  with  Yankee  plunder,  and  rigged  out  in 
Yankee  clothes  to  such  an  extent,  that  an  order  forbidding 
it  was  issued,  lest  it  might  lead  to  fi  ing  on  our  own  rnen. 
Most  of  our  spoils  fell  to  those  ii^rho  luergcd  behind,  as  thos  in  front 
had  no  time  to  stop.  Among  other  things  Ciptured  was  a  wagon 
load  of  lemons  and  one  ot  cake.  The  lemons  were  reserved 
for  the  sick,  but  the  cakes  were  disposed  of  in  sliort  order.  Among 
the  spoils  1  have  s.en  two  Yankee  brenst-platrs  that  so  much  li  s 
been  said  about.  'I'hcy  were  of  difll'rent  patterns ;  one  a  sini]>le 
steel  plate,  and  the  other  lud  points  and  came  down  over  thejiips. 
Unfortunately  for  the  owners  they  had  no  plates  behind,  where 
they  were  most  needed.  We  are  now  resting.  Yesterday  was  ob- 
served as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.  It  is  impossible  to  tell  when  or 
where  will  be  our  next  move." 

On  the  very  next  day  after  this  letter  was  writ- 
ten the  old  brigade,  with  Carpenter's  and  McLaugh- 
lin's (the  Rockbridge)  batteries  moved  towards 
Charlestown.  While  our  forces  were  finishing  up 
their  work  on  the  Potomac,  intelligence  was  received 
that  Shields  was  moving  from  Fredericksburg,  and 
Fremont  from  the  west,  with  a  view  of  concentra- 
ting in  Jackson's  rear,  and  cuttino-  him  off  with  his 
prisoners  and  spoils.  Accordingly  our  army  began 
to  fall  back  up  the  Valley  on  the  30th  of  AJay. 
Ewell  had  been  sent  to  hold  Fremont  in  check  at 
Strasburg,  and  the  retreat .  continued  to  Harrison- 
burg, with  a  caravan  of  prisoners  and  booty  in 
front,  and  the  eagle-eyed  Ashby  guarding  the 
rear. 


26  BKETCH    or   THE    LIFE    OF 


CHAPTER  YTT. 


The  Baltlca  of   Cross   Ketfn  and  Port  R('j.tuhlif — />«//  of  ThanK-.^- 
(living — Dr.  Dabnoi/\s  Sennou — The  Holy  Communion. 

The  stirring  events  immediately  succeeding,  we 
will  allow  our  young  soldier  to  tell  in  his  own 
\\'0rd8  : 

'Cami*  nkAr  Pout  Republic,  } 
«'June  Ut\  1802.  \ 
"DkaPv  Mama  :  I  have  already  told  -you  how  complotely  we  were 
Furprii^ed  last  Sunday.  We  were  all  lyiug  quietly  in  camp,  ex- 
pecting to  have  a  day  of  peace  and  rest,  when  we  were  startled  by 
the  pound  of  cannon  in  our  front.  A  scene  of  the  utmost  confusion 
ensued.  The  wagons  were  p;icked  and  our  pieces  hurried  forward 
PR  fast  as  the  liorsos  Could  be  hitcliod.  We  took  position  on  a 
commanding  hill,  opposite  Port  Republic,  from  which  we  could  see 
the  Federal  columns  coming  np  the  road  on  the  other  side  within 
easy  canson  range.  After  a  brisk  cannonade,  we  drove  them  back 
in  confusion.  Our  position  was  such  that  they  could  not  bring  their 
cannon  to  bear  upon  us,  so  that  all  the  fir'ng  was  on  our  side—  a 
kind  of  fighting  which  we  all  agreed  was  decidedly  the  most  plea- 
sant we  had  ever  tried.  This  was  the  advance  of  Shields'  army, 
consisting  of  three  or  four  regiments  wiiich  had  pushed  on  rspidly. 
It  is  said  that  Gen.  Jackson,  whose  head-quarters  were  at  the  Port, 
was  iRforn)cd  of  their  appearance  only  a  few  minutes  before  they  had 
actually  posted  their  guns  around  the  town,  and  he  narrowly  es- 
caped being  taken  prisoner.  The  General  had  just  crossed  the 
bridge,  when  he  saw  a  Yankee  gun  come  down  the  road  on  the  op- 
po.-ite  side  and  take  position  so  as  to  command  the  entrance  to  the 
bridge.  Taking  it  for  one  of  our  guns,  he  called  out,  'Limber  up  and 
coHie  over  or  the  enemy  will  get  you.'  The  Yankees  looked  sur- 
prised, and  then  turning  their  gun  i^pon  the  General,  iiiformed  him 
of  their  true  character  by  firing  a  shot  et  him.  One  of  our  p'cccs 
happening  to  arrive  at  the  t'me,  and  putting  in  two  well-directed 
ghots,  ccmpelled  the  Yankees  1o  abandon  their  piece  which  was 
afterwards  secured  by  us.  Sooa  after  this  little  affair  we  heard 
cannonading  to  our  rear,  which  was  the  opening  of  the  battle  be- 
tween Fremont  and  Ewell's  division,  our  rear  guaid.  Tl  e  battle 
raged  all  day,  and  we  anxiously  listened  to  eveiy  shot  to  tell  by 
the  found  which  side  was  gainii  g  g'ourd.  The  sus; mse  was  aw- 
ful, for  we  knew  that  if  onr  torces  were  driven  back  our  retreating 
army  would  be  assailed  by  the  force  in  our  rear,  and  probably  be 
cut  to  pieces.     Towards  eveaing,  to  our  great  joy,  Ave  could  hear 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  J  V 

the  report  growing  more  aud  more  (.li.^taiiL,  uial  «e  soon  knew  that 
the  enemy  hud  been  rcpnlscd.  I  nn<]ers!;'nd  that  our  centre  wa.s 
posted  upon  :i  strong  hill  which  the  cneray  attacked  in  front.  Tiiey 
led  regiment  after  regiment  to  the  charge  and  were  as  olten  driven 
back  bj  murderous  vollej  s.  Only  a  part  of  our  force  was  engaged 
in  this  flght ;  Our  brigade  and  Gen.  Taliaferro's  were  kept  to  guard 
tfae  bridge,  and  some  otliers  were  held  in  leferve.  That  right  we 
were  brought  over  to  the  east-side  of  the  rivtr  to  e«mp,  lully  ex- 
pecting to  return  and  attack  Fremont  with  our  whole  force  in  th« 
morning.  But,  to  our  .^urpiisc,  we  were  led  against  the  enemy  on 
that  side,  while  the  remainder  of  our  forces,  who  had  held  t^l^ir 
position  during  the  night,  were  drawn  back  to  onr  support  and  the 
bridge  burnt  to  keep  the  enemy  from  following. 

Some  blame  Jacksou  for  not  attacking  i'lemOrt  instead  ot 
Shields.  Bui  I  thinly  he  pursued  the  wiser  course.  If  we  had  at- 
tacked Fremont  and  been  defeated,  there  was  no  saie  way  of  re- 
treat, and  uo  General  should  go  into  battle  without  providing  a 
way  of  retreat  in  Case  of  defeat.  In  the  Monday's  fight  with 
Shields,  we  had  about  five  or  six  thoujand.  The  enemy's  foret 
was  about  eight  thousand.  The  battlo  began  !?oon  aftu'  daylight, 
and  after  a  long  Caiinonado,  chietiy  by  il.c  enemy  ;  during  which 
t:me  oi.r  right  wing  moved  around  through  the  woods  so  as  to  flunk 
the  Yankee  petition.  Our  left  wing,  consisting  of  our  battery  and 
some  pieees  Irom  other  batteries,  with  Several  regiment?  of  infan- 
try, advaroeci  io  the  attack.  We  were  met  by  almost  tlie  whole 
force  01  the  enen  y,  and,  alter  a  hard  struggle,  we  were  compelled 
to  fall  back,  li  se<.ms  that  our  advance  was  nn.de  too  soon,  so 
that  inite.'.d  ol  having  our  right  win^  op'  rating  in  conjunction  with 
u«,  the  enemy  were  able  to  meet  us  with  an  overpoweri-.ig  force 
and  drive  us  back  before  our  right  wa-?  ready  to  attack.  Our  bat- 
tery was  posted  in  an  open  wh<-at  field,  exposed  :o  fiie  from  infan- 
tiy'and  artillery.  We  could  .^ee  and  hear  the  balh  Cutjting  through 
the  wheat  on  tvery  side,  but  strange  to  say,  we  escaped  with  but 
few  casualties.  Nothin<:  but  tliO  mercy  of  God  Lept  us  irom  sui- 
l»ring^severely.  As  we  drove  off  the  fieid,  1  th.ouglit  the  day  was 
lopt,  but  Soon  we  heard  the  firmg  on  our  right  and  our  wing  re- 
turned as  soon  as  the  regiments  could  rally.  The  ccmplctc  rout 
of  the  enemy  soon  followed,  and  five  splendid  guns  and  five  hun- 
dred prisoners  were  (alien.  Arid  all  this  was  done  in  sight  of  Fre- 
mont's army  which  just  then  appeared  on  the  heights,  on  tf.e  op- 
l^o.-ite  side  of  the  river,  but  too  late,  as  theie  was  an  nnfoidabie 
ri^er  between  us.  Our  army  was  drawn  back  to  Brown's  Gap,  by 
an  oM  mountain  road,  the  knowledge  of  which  was  the  key  to  our 
whole  Svicccas,  For  had  avc  been  forced  back  by  the  «-ame  road 
we  came,  we  would  have  been  shelled  to  pieces  by  tho  Yankee 
guns  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  Just  as  we  had  shelled  them 
on  this  day.  Our  cav;ilry  followed  th^  enemy  for  tea  or  twelve 
miles  and  came  up  with  the  baggage  train  ;  all  of  which  would  have 
been  captured,  Some  think,  if  poor  lamented  Ashby  had  iflk  there 


26  SKETCH    OF    TffiE    LIFE    OF 

to  lead  theui.  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  definitely,  but  I  think 
Our  loss  could  not  hare  exceeded  500  Avounded,  though  I  see  a 
newspaper  exaggerates  il  to  500  killed  and  1,000  wounded.  I 
think  that  papers  that  print  every  idle  report  they  hear  are  the 
Curse  of  our  country.  Fremont  has  fallen  back  to  New  Market 
and  we  are  resting.  Yesterday,  June  14th,  by  special  order,  ser- 
vices were  held  in  the  regiment,  eiviiig  thanks  for  our  victories  and 
prayers  for  further  blessings.  I  heard  a  delightful  sermon  from 
Dr.  Dabney  yesterday  evening,  and  another  this  morning.  This 
evening  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  administered 
and  I  hope  I  may  be  able  to  attend.  It  is  such  a  comfort  and  a 
great  cau^e  for  thank-igiving  to  have  such  a  Christian  aS  Jackson 
for  our  General.  I  have  known  him  when  obliged  to  fight  Or 
march  on  Sunday  to  set  sipart  another  day  for  rest  and  divine  ser- 
vice. And  when  other  Generals  would  have  continued  marching 
I  have  known  him  to  lie  by  and  rest  on  Sunday.  Xo  wonder  the 
blessing  of  God  attends  his  army  in  such  a  signal  way.  1  thank 
Gi'd  for  the  glorious  success,  as  He  alone  cau  be  consi^lered  the 
author  of  it.  I  also  thank  Him  gincrel/  tor  my  presorv^^ition  d,]. 
rino-  the  ti>ri,t," 


RANDOT.PFI    PAIFFAX.  29 


CITAPTER  VI [I. 

JocksorCs  on  to  Richmond — Hh  flank  m^venimt  on  McClellan  at 
the  bdttle  of  Malvern  Hill-^r- Randolph  strnck  by  a  fragvtent  of 
shell — His  return  to  Gordo7isville — Battle  of  Cedar  Run  or 
^lauf/hter''s  Mountain — Retreat — Forward  movement — Shelling  at 
Rapj>ahannock — Flank  movement  on  Pope — Battle  at  Manassas 
— Adva7ice  into  Maryland — Capture  of  Harper^ s  Ferry — Pro- 
I'o.st  Guard  at  Martinsburg. 

Jackson  now  flew  swooping  down  from  the  moun- 
tains like  an  eagle  upon  McClellan's  rear  on  the 
Chickahominy,  and  in  cooperation  with  Lee  won  the 
series  of  brilliant  victories  around  Richmond  which 
have  made  the  names  of  Coal  Harbor,  Gaines'  ^[ill, 
and  Malvern  Hill  historical.  The  battery  to  which 
our  young  friend  belonged  was  held  in  reserve 
until  the  bloody  fight  at  Malvern  Hill.    He  writes : 

"  For  an  hour,  we  were  exposed  to  tlie  heaviest  artillery 
Are  I  ever  saw.  Shot  and  shell  seemed  to  pour  over  in  one 
successive  stream,  and  hurst  in  our  midst.  We  lost  two  killed  and 
ten  or  twelve  wounded  in  our  company.  I  was  struck  by  a  piece 
of  a  shell  on  the  collar  bone,  but  fortunately  received  from  it  only 
a  bruise  which  put  me  on  the  disabled  list  yesterday.  It  was  only 
through  God's  mercy  that  our  loss  was  not  greater.  Numbers  were 
struck  by  frai^ments  of  spent  shells  which  did  no  serious  injury. 
The  poor  iTth,  of  Alexandria,  I  hwar  siiffei-ed  severely.  Hector 
Eachcs,  Chiirley  Whiting  and  Colonel  M^ye  were  taken  prisoners. 
We  drov«  the  enemy  step  by  step,  capturing  many  prisoners  and 
much  artillery.  I  prr^-  that  God  will  continue  to  prosper  our  ar- 
mies until  our  enemies  are  entirely  overthrown.  Don't  trouble 
yourself  about  my  promotion.  I  am'  content  where  I  am,  and  per- 
haps it  itj  best  for  me  to  remain  where  I  nm.  1  would  not  feel  right 
in  accepting  a  posiion  that  would  take  me  out  of  active  serviae. 
God  again  in  his  meicy  has  preserved  me,  and  none  of  my  Jriends 
were  severely  hurt,  for  which,  and  His  orher  mercies,  I  owe  Him  a 
life  of  gratitude,  and  pray  for  grace  to  lead  it." 

After  three  days' leave  of  absence,  which  he  spent 
with  his  family  in  Richmond,  Randolph  joined  his 
battery  at  Gordonsville,  and  writes  on  the  7th  of 
AuQfust :  •  • 


'^0  .SKSiCli     UF    THE    LIBE    OF 

*' Jiulgiiig  from  appear iipcos.  both  fiiics  are  gathariug  their  forces 
for  a  decisive  struggle.     I  h;ive  no   doubt  of  the  r(  solt  if  the  Yan- 
Jvees  will  only  fight  us." 

His  next  letters  of  the  lltli  and  l3th  of  August 
give  an  account  of  Jackson's  advance  intu  Culpe- 
per,  and  the  battle  of  Slaughter's  Mountain.  He 
says : 

*'  Three    pieces   of     our  battery,    were     under     a  very     hot 
fire,  but  it  susiaiued  uo  injury.     Gai>r.val  Winder,   our  brigadier, 
was  standing  by  one  of  our  guns  wkeu  ho  was  struck.     His  death  i« 
a  great  loss  to  us,  as  he  v/as  one  of  our  lirst  officers.     Major  An- 
drews, chief  of  artillery  of  our  divisiou   was  seVQ;reIy  wounded  and 
tell  into   the  enemy's  hands.     Out  br'gade  fought  splendidly,  and 
was  complimented  by  General  Jackson  who  said  they  had  always 
done  well,  but  this  time  gloriously.     A  panic  is  said  to  have  seized 
aome  of  the  troops  which  exposed  the  fiuiikof  some  regiments  and 
led  to  disorder  and  lo&S.     Our  victory  v.as  complete.     The  enemy 
asked  for  a  flag  of  truce  to   bury  their  dead.     The   force  engaged 
on  our  side  was  the  1st,  2d  and  8d  brigades,  one  brigade  of  E  well's 
aud  several  of  Hill's,  wiiich  came  up  during  the   tighi.     We    were 
suiprised  at  our  fall    back  to  Gordousvillc,  after  our  victory.     But 
Jackson  has  some  plan  in  liis  head.     After   again  leaving  Gordons- 
ville  to  advance  on  Pope,  we  met  with  no  obstacle  until  we  reached 
the  river.     The  long  siege  guns  of  our  battery  were  engaged  in  an 
artillery  duel    with  the   Yankee    batteries  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river.     After  several  days  skirmis!  in^jand  unintelligible  mauouvres 
we  crossed  the  river  at   a'lother  fc.ril  without  any  opposition.     We 
then  marched  day  and  night,  rtachiiig  Manassas   Junction   on  the 
.3(»th  day,  taking  the  Yankees  by  surf.n,-:e.     It  is  wonderiul  how  sue- 
cessful  Jackson  is  in  his  movemenis.      We  effected  a  march  along 
the  entire  flank  of  the  en«iny  and  r<?achpd  his  rear  without  Ids  knowl- 
edge.    Just  after  reaching  Manassas  we  «(iw  a  brigade  of  Yankees 
sent  from  Alexandria   to  check    the  supiosed    c  ivalry  raid,   filing 
down  the  opposite  hilis.     Tlicy  advanced  int)eautiful  line  of  battle 
up  into  a  semi-circle  formed  by  our  infantry  and  artillery  concealed 
in  the  valley  until  our  artillery  opening  upon  their  flank  aud  rear, 
they  discovered  their  iflistake   i(nd  retired  precipitately.     If  I  may 
presume  to  criticise,  ic  seems  to  we  that  if  we  had  sufiered  them  to 
advance  furth.  r  and  then  closed   upon  them  with  our    infantry  we 
should  have  captured  the  whole  lot,  but  as  it  was,  w^e    took  many 
hundred  prisoners.    At  Manassas  Junctioa  a  large  amount  of  stores 
were  taken  and  destroyed.     That  night  we  marched  by  the  light  of 
the  burning  depot  and  cars  in  the  direction  of  Sudley  chureh.     We 
had  now  been  marching  three  days  and    three    sights,  with   only 
about  four  hours  sleep  during  our  march.     Nothing  but  exhilaration 
at  00   unwonted   success  kept  us  up.     Here    we  were  at  Sudley 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX  31 

Church  with  about  2i),000  men,  witk  Pope  iu  our  front,  and  a  hirge 
force  advancing  from  Alexandria  on  our  rear.  Well  n^ight  the 
Yankeei  tiiink  they  had  ns  iu  a  trnp.  But  we  privates  with  eutire 
confideuco  iu  our  generalt',  were  inblisslul  iguorance  of  our  danger. 
For  two  day^  by  niai.aMiveriug  and  Ughting  we  kept  tliem  back  «u- 
til  about  the  middle  of  tin'  pci-ond  day  '.ve  saw  the  long  expected 
Longstreet  advancing  ou  oui-  right.  At  one  time  we  were  com- 
pletely cut  olf,  and  four  successive  couriers  from  LongstFi^et  to 
Jackson  were  captured,  but  the  fifth  got  through  .with  the  glad  tid- 
ings of  his'  approach,  and  Jackson  is  said  to  have  gra>ped  fa's  hand 
iu  jov  at  his  coming.  The  next  day  (Saturday)  about  three  or  lour 
oV'lol'k  the  enemy  attacked  us  ana  were  driven  back  at  ev^ry 
point.  We  had  a  sp'endid  vii-w  ot  the  battle  fiom  a  hill  oq  wliica 
our  battery  was  po  ted.  It  wa>  the  grandest  sight  that  T  over  »aw. 
Aitillery  was  blazing^  froiii  fv»  ry  rig«  iu  the  valley  below,  sheila 
bursting  in  every  direction — batteries  and  liorsemen  galiopir-g  over 
the  held  in  pursuit  ;  while  away  off  on  our  right,  we  could  s 'e  t];e 
long  line  of  Yankee  infantry  drawn  up  to  oppose  Longstro^t,  and 
sheets  of  smoke  bursting  front  their  guns.  Soon  a  cloud  of  praoke 
enveloped  the  plain,  and  we  could  only  hear  the  successive  roar  of 
artillery  and  rattling  of  the  musketry,  gradually  becoming  more 
and  more  distant.  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  such  a  di.«proportien 
in  losses — ours   being  comparatively  light,  theirs  very   heavy." 

The  Rockbridge  Eattej-y  accomparied  Jackson 
an  the  march  to  Maryland  from  Manassas,  and  on 
his  return  to  Martinsbiirg  to  clear  out  the  Yankees 
in  our  rear,  and  wliicli  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Harper's  Ferry,  with  valuable  stores  and  munitions, 
and  11,000  prisoners.  The  gun  to  which  Randolph 
belonged  with  two  regiments  of  infaatry  was  left 
in  Martinsburg  as  Provost  Guard  and  was  sent 
while  there  to  destroy  a  bridge  near  North  Mountain 
Station.  Finding  'the  Yankees  in  too  great  force 
for  them,  they  only  toie  up  the  railroad  track  and 
returned  to  Martinsburg,  In  a  letter  fiom  that 
place  dated  September  the  l4th,  he  says: 

"The  prospect  of  a  little  rest  he'-e  is  truly  delightful.  We  have 
now,''  he  adds,  "  been  Tuore  than  a  month  without  a  change  of 
clothes  ;  either  marching  or  fighdng  nearly  every  day,  and  sleeping 
wiihout  shelttr.  We  have  been  reduced  to  a  degree  of  raggedness 
and  dirt  that 's  scarcely  tolerable,  and  the  worst  of  it  is  we  had  no 
chance  of  getting  our  baggage  which  was  left  at  the  Ri^ppahan- 
nock."  -  ^ 


32  SKETCH   OF    THE    LIFE    OF 

In  the  aame  letter  lie  speaks  of  the  good  conduct 
of  our  troops  in  Maryland — tlie  strictest  discipline 
having  been  maintained.  In  reference  to  the  sen- 
timents of  the  Ma-jdanders  lie  says  : 

*'  There  are  numbers  of  the  people  who  would  receive  us  gUdh 
and  avow  their  sympathies  for  the  South,  were  they  assured  tliat 
we  would  keep  posissssion  of  the  Strite." 


RAisDOLrH    iAIRFAX. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Ba'ile  of  Shar}nburfj—Str«igfjlinff— Battery  Iran ff erred  to  Col.  J. 
T.  Br9icn's  llegiment  of  Reserve  Artillery—  March  to  Port  Roy- 
al— Battle  of  Fredericksburg — His  last  letter — His  JJeaih — Lt. 
Col.  Lewis  Coleman — Lieut.  McC9rkU^Berkelei/  Minor — L. 
Hyde-T.  McCorkU. 

On  the  3rd  of  October,  1862,  he  writes  from  camp 
near  Bunker  Hill : 

*«Tbc  army  is  now  resting  and  beiag  re-organized.  It  is  unfor- 
tunate that  wo  could  not  have  continued  active  operationis,  but  it  is 
iaipostfiblc  The  men  are  ragged  and  bare'boted,  and  the  ninks  so 
reduced  by  stragghng  that  we  could  only  bring  half  our  force  into 
the  flold.  It  is  shameful.  There  wai  not  half  of  our  army  engaged 
in  the  battle  of  Sharpsburg.  The  .icoundrels  were  strangling  over 
the  country  and  eating  out  the  hospitable  farmers  on  their  way, 
while  their  comrades  were  beating  hack  McClellan.  I  don't  thiuk 
we  eould  have  had  more  than  40,000  men  engaped  at  Sharpsburg, 
and  yet  we  repulsed  the  enemy.  Bat  as  the  more  we  drove  them 
back  the  betier  their  position  became  on  the  slope*  of  the  mouu- 
taint,  it  was  clearly  ottr  policy  to  fall  back." 

On  the  20th  and  22nd  of  October,  18G2,  Randolph 
says : 

"Wc  have  beea  transferred  to  the  Regiment  of  Col.  Thomp^ion 
Brown,'whichx;onstitutes  the  Reserve  Artillery  of  Jackson's  Corps. 
We  have  thus  dissolved  partnership  with  the  old  First  Brigade,  and 
we  are  all  sorry  to  pait  v.i'ii  old  friends,  and  dissolve  a  counection 
which  has  existed  from  the  beginning  of  the  War.  We  have  now 
two  spendid  twenty  pound  Parrots.  Such  heavy  guns  are  gene- 
rally held  in  reserve.  We  think  that  our  General  intended  the 
change  to  relieve  us  from  tkc  active  service  in  which  we  have  al- 
ways been  engaged. 

"Gen.  Jackson  paid  us  a  high  compliment  at  dinner  at  Mr.  Dan- 
dridge's,  and  said  we  deserved  to  have  rest.  The  monotony  ©f  our 
present  camp  life  is  relieved  by  drills,  guard  duty  and  cooking,  and 
now  and  then  diversified  by  a  corn-detail,  when  we  have  to  ^o  Ten  or 
fifteen  ndles,  and  shuck  out  a  tragon  load  of  corn.  I  happened  to 
be  on  a  corn-detail,  during  the  late  snow-storm,  and  we  had  a  terrible 
time  of  it  working  in  the  cold  driving  snow  without  gloves." 

After  a  mareh  of  fifteen  days,  the   Roekbridge 


SKETCH    Or    THE    LIFE    OF 

^ery  encamped  near  Port  Royal,  on  the  Rappa- 
„nnock  river : 

"The  weather  now,"  (Dec.  7tb,)  he  says,  '^a  inteusely  cold,  and 
I  am  afraid  many  of  our  poor  soldiers  are  suffering."  "Oh,  how  I 
wish,*'  he  adds,  "that  this  cruel  war  would  cease.  I  think  when 
peace  is  declared  I  shall  be  like  a  man  just  rele.^sed  from  prison  or 
a  condeiimed  criminal  just  receiving  his  pardon.  May  God  bless 
you  and  keep  you  ail." 

His  last  letter,  which  was  found  in  his  pocket 
after  his  fall,  was  written  to  his  mother  on  the  llth 
ol  December,  the  day  after  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg opened : 

"Remembering  your  injunction  to  write  immediately  after  every 
battle,  I  hasten  to  obey  it  and  relieve  you  of  any  anxiety  on  my 
account  that  may  have  been  awakened  by  the  engagemt.^nt  of 
yesterday  at  Fredeiicksburaf.  We  were  on  picket  near  Fort  Royal, 
and  although  eighteen  milc-s  distant,  distinctly  heard  the  cannon- 
ado  ;  it  was  the  moit  continuous  and  rapid  1  ever  heard,  lasting 
from  lour  o'clock  till  Sunset.  I  think  the  enemy  must  have  been 
repulsed  once  or  twice,  but  at  last  succeeded  in  crossing  the  river, 
and  now  have  possession  of  Fredericksburg.  They  are,  however, 
no  better  off  than  they  were  before.  We  have  heard  firing  again 
this  morning,  up  the  river,  but  do  not  know  what  it  is. 

"The  day  before  yesterday  we  had  an  affray  with  the  gunboats 
on  the  river  below.  Our  battery  WaS  seat  down,  with  the  long 
range  guns.  We  only  succeeded  in  getting  five  or  six  shots  at  a 
boat  passing  up,  bat  our  '2(i  pounder,  with  a  Whitiock  gun,  had  a 
sharp  duel  with  five  gunboats  above.  The  engagement,  I  believe, 
was  harmless  on  both  sides." 

This  was  the  last  letter  Randolph  Fairfax  ever 
wrote.  On  the  very  next  day,  as  the  sun  went 
down,  amid  a  gtorm  of  roaring  guns  and  shrieking 
shellsj  he  fell  by  the  side  ef  the  gun  he  had  served 
so  well,  and 

"Death  lay  upon  him  like  an  untimely  frost 
Upon  the  fairest  flower  of  all  the  field." 

Rerkeley  Minor,  one  of  Randolph's  most  intimate 
friends,  in  reference  to  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg, says: 

•*rhe  eorapany  never  behaved  better  than  on  thid  occasion,    I 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  35 

speak  of  my  own  personal  knowledge  of  the  second  section,  that  is, 
the  two  twenty  pound  Parrotts,  with  one  of  which  Eandolph  and  I 
worked,  as  the  first  was  placed  in  a  different  part  of  the  field  by 
Major  Pelham.  Lieut.  Graham  had  commaud  of  that  section,  and 
was  highly  complimented  by  Major  Pelham.  Our  section  was  under 
the  most  tremendous  fire  that  any  of  the  company  had  ever  wit- 
nessed. We  Were  in  position  about  two  hours  only,  but  were  un- 
der fire  long  before  we  got  into  position.  The  fire  was  most  terri- 
ble about  sundown.  Then  it  wes  that  our  doar  friend  fell.  "We 
had  ceased  filing  for  a  while,  when  Gen.  Jackson  rode  up  and  or- 
dijted  all  the  guns  to  be  shotted  and  fired  simultaneously,  and  con- 
tinue firing  as  fast  as  possible.  This,  it  appears,  drew  the  fire  of 
almost  all  the  enemy's  guns,  in  range  upon  us.  Such  a  shower  of 
shot  and  shell  I  never  saw  before  aud  hope  never  to  see  again. 
This  lasted  until  daylight  was  gone.  After  dark  we  brought  oft 
Our  guns." 

E.  Hyde,  saj3  : 

"The  piece  of  shell  which  was  the  cause  of  Randolph's  death,  en- 
tered the  corner  of  the  left  eye,  killing  him  instantly." 

T.  McCorkle,  who  was  at  the  same  gun  with  Ran- 
dolph, says : 

"That  same  shell,  of  which  a  fragment  struck  Randolph,  bad'y 
woniidcd  Lieut.  Colonel  Coleman  and  Arthur  Robinson,  of  Baki- 
more.*  Gen.  Jacksou  had  left  the  place  wheie  it  exploded,  a  few 
minutes  betore.  Lieut.  McCorkle  was  near  the  same  gUn,  but  was 
not  killed  until  shortly  afterwards,  Thomas  McCorkle  and  Berke- 
ley Minor  bore  Randolph's  body  off  the  field,  and  that  night  he 
and  Lieut.  McCorkle  were  buried  together  by  their  weeping  com- 
rades, not  very  far  from  where  they  fell." 

Lancelot  Blackford,  who  communicates  these 
facts,  says : 

"Few  of  the  victims  of  the  war  have  been  committed  to  the 
earth  on  the  field  of  glory,  with  more  genuine  grief  than  that  which 
attended  the  interment  of  those  two  young  heroes  on  Saturday 
night,  the  ISih  of  December,  l862." 

*  '*  Both  of  thesn  have  since  died  of  their  wounds.  Coleman  was  Profer- 
8or  of  Latin  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  Robinson  of  the  best  blood  of 
Maryland.    Both  were  Christians  and  died  full  of  hope." 


36  SKiSTCH    OF    THE    LIFE    Of 


CHAPTER  X. 


Tributes;  of  his  Preceptor— Jlit  Coinradts—Of  kin  Captain — 0/ 
ih$  Coinifkander-in- Chief  of  the,  Ar/iiy  of  Northcr^i  Virginia — 
Re».  J.  P.  McGuire — Kinloch  N'iUo'i — Lancelot  Blackford — //. 
Grahairt — Serft  Macon — Berkeley  Minor — Jos.  P.ackard — (J apt. 
Poagitc — Gsnerdl  R.  E.  Lee. 

We  ha^e  not  painted  an  ideal  portrait  and  writ- 
tea  the  name  of  Randolph  S^airfax  upoa  it.  We 
have  done  little  more  than  classify  the  facts  of  his 
short  life,  and  weave  thena  into  a  continao*3  nar- 
rative. We  shall  now  oalj  add  a  few  te^JtioioniaU, 
volunteered  by  his  fellow  students  and  fellow  sol- 
diers, who  knew  hitn  well  in  times  which  try  men's 
souls,  and  where  character  develops  itself  as  freely 
as  plants  in  the  open  air. 

Rev.  J.  P.  McGuire,   says  : 

"I  !UH  glad  to  hr-ar  that  yoi  ai-e  prepxr'uii?  a  mkefcck  of    Randolph 
Fairfax,  persuadod  tliat  no  wortliier  subject  eould  occupy  your  peu. 
#  TF  *  #  *  #  * 

CoEflniug  my  reply  to  the  eviquiriea  contained  in  your  let- 
ter, let  me  begin  by  remarking  that  a  true  estimate  of  him 
must  be  formed  from  the  general  tenor  of  his  life,  rather  than 
from  any  isolated  iacideut.  Hig  character  was  throughout  of 
the  highest  order,  and  perhaps  more  remarkable  fpr  its  ex- 
quisite lini.-ih  than  for  anything  else.  As  a  papil  in  the  High 
School,  as  a  f?tudent,  a  Christian,  there  was  a  uniform  consist- 
ency—making one  day  of  singular  excellence  but  the  represen- 
tative of  ail  the  rest,  and  giving  to  the  whole  a  completeness 
rarely  equalled  in  its  strength  and  loveliness.  Intellectually 
he  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  first  young  men  of  his  day.  His 
mind  was  strong  and  clear,  undcrstftnding  promptly  and  tho- 
roughly whatever  he  studied.  A  first  rate  student,  he  acquired 
knowledge  rapidly  and  accurately,  promising  great  success  and 
high  rank  in  whatever  department  of  intellectual  labor  he  might 
select.  Morally,  1  have  not  known  his  superior.  God  endowed 
him  with  a  strange  purity  ot  mind  and  heart  by  nature  ;  and 
then  to  this  added  the  grace  of  true  religion.     With  a  quick  con- 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  37 

science,  aud  a  must  sensitive  regard  to  whatever  was  right, 
whatever  was  proper  and  becoming  ;  be  was  ever  ready  to  re- 
siat  the  slightest  offence  against  a  stainless  morality.  How- 
ever retiring  and  unassuming  in  his  general  bearing,  he  was, 
nevertheless,  constitutionally  brave,  richly  gifted  with  that 
moral  courage,  the  want  of  which  i:s  often  the  great  defect  of 
men  of  genius  and  even  of  galUut  soldiers.  Not  the  slightest 
timidity  was  there;  no  hesitancy  or  avoiding  of  responsibility 
where  duty  was  concerned.  Brave  as  Cssiar  in  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, he  was  not  less  so  for  truth  and  right  in  public  and  privrte, 
in  the  most  retired  walks  of  life  or  amidst  a  crowd  of  gay  and 
thoughtless  pchool  buys,  or  the  tempting  fascinations  of  the 
social  circle.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  mwdesty  which  threw 
euch  a  charm  around  him  ;  nothing  that  native  politeness, 
that  unselfish  courtesjs  which  attracted  to  him  so  many  de- 
voted hearts,  unless,  indeed,  it  was  this  steadiness,  this  quiet 
firmness  with  which  he  declined  evil  associatioi'S.  and  pre- 
served the  pniity  with  which  his  divine  Lord  had  blessed  him. 
To  this  Heavenly  grace  it,  of  course,  nrjst  be  ascribed  that 
he  stood  so  "  "learly  in  the  light  of  viod,"  and  reflected  so 
much  of  the  Saviour's  image.  The  uncommon  purity  and 
blame'essness  of  his  whole  life  cannot  be  accounted  for  with- 
out looking  to  those  spiritual  influences  which  alone  sanctify 
the  heart,  and  clothe  life  in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  Early  he 
had,  no  doubt,  received  them  from  the  God  and  Father  of  all, 
whose  blessed  spirit  quickens  in  life's  early  dawn  more  of  the 
children  of  men  than  we  are  apt  to  think. 

*  *  *  V^'ithout  intending  to  compare  him  with 
others,  particularly  among  his  fellow- students,  for  so  many  of 
whom  I  have  the  highest  admiration,  and,  hoping  that  I  may 
not  be  deemed  extravagant,  yet  I  may  not  hesitate  to  say,  in 
conclusion,  that  no  nobler  son  was  ever  bom  within  this  grand 
old  Commonwealth  than  Rnndolph  Fairfax. 

Kinloch  Nelson,  naw  a  Lieutenant  of  Ordnance 
iu  Kemper's  Brigade,  says  : 

'*Mv  atqaamtan  e  with  Randolph  Fairfax  commenced  at  the 
High  School,  in  the  fall  of  1857,  where  his  modest  manners,  and 
unselfish  disposition,  endeared  him  to  all  around  him.  There  aa 
intimacy  begin  between  us,  which  the  lapse  of  time  only  strergh- 
encd,  and  wliich  was  broken  bv  the  rude  band  of  death  alone.  In 
the  next  summer  he  became  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church, 
aud  during  the  followirg  five  years  I  can  trnly  say,  that  I  never 
saw  him  guilty  of  a  single  act  inconsistent  with  his  profession.  At 
the  University,  we  were  constaatly   together,  and   in  the  army  we 


38  RKEICH    OF   THE    LIFE    OF 

were  intimately  associatotl  as  messmates,  and  he  continued  a  faith- 
ful Koldicr,  alike  of  his  countvv  and  of  his  God.  He  was  among 
the  first  to  re-enlist  in  the  spring  of  1 SC2,  and  he  never  lost  a  day  from 
sickness  or  absence  witlumt  leave.  At  Malvern  Hill,  he  was  struck 
on  the  chest  by  a  frnonient  of  a  shell,  and  turned  to  leave  the  field, 
but  when  after  walking  a  few  steps,  he  found  it  was  but  a  slight 
wound,  he  returned  to  his  post,  aiid  renuiined  until  the  battery  was 
ordered  to  leave  the  field.  In  the  patient  endurance  of  all  the 
hardships  of  a  soldier's  life  few  equalled  him— in  unfaltering  cour- 
age, in  that  most  trying  arena,  the  battle  field,  none  surpassed  him. 
Throughout  that  whole  campaign  which  shed  such  an  undying  lus- 
tre OH  the  name  of  Jackson— from  the  Ronmey  expedition  to  the 
fatal  field  Of  Fredericksburg — none  ever  heard  him  murmur,  none 
ever  saw  him  flinch?  In  all  those  trying  marches,  he  was  uncom- 
plaining ;  ahk»-  under  the  frosts  of  winter  and  the  burning  suns  of 
summer;  on  all  those  bloody  fields  he  was  ever  the  model  of  a  chris- 
tian soldier.  I  know  that  none  attain  perfection  in  this  life, 
but  I  should  iiisciibe  upon  his  tomb  "Mark  the  perfect  man  and 
behold  the  upright,  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace.'  " 

Sergeant  L.  S.  Macon,  of  tlic  Rockbridge  Battery, 
now  the  Sheriff  of  Al))einar]e,  who  was  one  of  Ran- 
dolph's messmates,  says : 

"He  was. ever  the  noble  self-sacrificing  boy  who  commanded  the 
admiration  of  all  around  him.  As  a  soldier  he  was  surpassed  by 
none.  He  never  swerved  from  the  path  of  duty,  and  he  met  dan- 
ger even  at  the  cannon's  mouth,  with  unfaltering  courage.  As  a 
christian,  he  was  sincere  and  consi;~teut ;  conscientious  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  every  post ;  and  from  his  daily  life,  there 
was  reflected  a  light  which  always  makes  an  unraistakable'impreas, 
but  especially  in  the  bloody  strife  of  the  battle  field,  and  in  the 
daily  intercourse  of  camp  life.  In  many  situations  I  have  yeen  him 
severely  tested,  and  in  aU  he  evinced  the  same  heroism.  In  cold, 
hunger,  or  fatigue,  I  never  heard  him  murmur.  He  was  ever  ready 
to  share  his  comfort,  and  partake  of  other's  hardships.  Truly  it 
may  be  said  of  him 

'  He  lives  upon  all  memories, 

Though  with  the  buried  gone." 

Lancelot  Blackford,  also  one  of  his  messmates, 
in  delineating  his  character,  says  : 

"That  OTie  of  his  most  striking  traits  was  his  modesty.  Of  all 
the  people  I  have  ever  known,  he  did  and  said  the  least  to  advance 
his  own  credit,  and  to  draw  attention  to  anything  praiseworthy  of 
himself.  A  fit  accompaniment  to  his  modesty,  was  his  singular 
purity.     In  this  respect  he  was  in  camp   what  he  was  in  the   com- 


RANDOLPH    FA.IRFAX.  Sd 

pany  of  his  mother  and  sisters.  Certainlj  1  never  saw  the  man 
who  was  more  free  from  the  defilements  contracted  in  the  midst  of 
this  naughty  world.  The  pmnty  of  his  speech  and  conduct,  which 
exerted  such  influence  upon  his  companions,  sprang  from  the  puritj 
of  his  heart  ;  which  in  him  was  'the  fruit  of  habitual  abiding  with 
him  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Kan.  was  always  attentive  to  religious  du- 
ties;  he  had  a  well  worn  pocket  testament,  which  was  each  day  tlie 
man  of  his  counsel.  I  well  remember  how  under  the  most  advor.-o 
circumstances,  he  always  found  time  to  read  it ;  and  the  solemn 
earnest  expression  of  his  countenance  when  pouring  over  the  sacred 
pages.  He  lost  his  prayer  book  in  the  Potomac  the  night  he 
dropped  his  overcoat/blankets,  &c.  It  was  but  seldom  that  we  were 
able  to  spend  Sunday"  appropriately.  Sometimes,  however,  we 
were  quiet  enough,  particularly  between  the  battles  of  Richmond 
and  Cedar  Run.  On  these  occasions,  we  spent  Sunday  as  far  as 
practicable  together,  except  when  Divine  service  was  accessible,  or 
we  had  prayer  meetings.  In  our  knapsack  tent,  we  frequently  road 
together  the  whole  or  parts  of  the  church  service,  including  many 
ot  the  occasional  prayers  and  thanksgivings.  We  were  both  much 
attached  to  the  Liturgy,  and  took  much  pleasure  in  the  use  of  it3 
forms  when  unable  to  attend  the  public  services  of  the  church. 
The  hardships  of  the  Bath  and  Romney  expedition  were  great,  and 
the  complaints  of  the  men  not  unfrecjuent  ;  but  he  never  complain- 
ed. Such  was  his  CiinrBCCer,  whether  undergoing  hardships,  or  en- 
during the  scarcely  le-s  painfrd  trial  of  performing  the  menial  dutien 
which  fall  to  the  lot  of  every  private  soldier,  particularly  in  artillery 
service.  I  have  seen  iiim  when  detailed  as  teamster  from  the  l5th 
of  4uly  to  the  hist  of  August,  after  a  fatiguing  day's  march,  and  just 
as  we  were  about  to  retire  to  rest,  called  up  to  go  in  the  dark  for 
forage  to  feed  his  teams.  Yet  he  bore  all  these  exacting  duties, 
such  as  watering,  feeding,  currying,  and  harnessing  horses,  with 
such  equanimity  and  sweetness  as  to  strike  all  his  associates.  The 
refined  gentleman  made  a  first  rate  estler  when  the  exigency  de- 
manded it,  because  he  considered  it  incumbent  on  him  to  do  hi* 
duty  in  everything  that  became  a  soldier.  We  had  few  men  who 
were  regarded  as  he  was  by  our  captain  and  other  officers.  This 
was  the  subject  of  almost  the  last  conversation  I  had  with  one  of 
them,  1st  Lieutenant  Graham.  The  point  upon  which  all  ofBceri 
and  men  chiefly  agreed  in  admiring  him,  was  his  unswerving  de- 
votion to  duty,  whether  in  camp  or  in  action.  Members  of  the 
company  in  lamenting  his  fall,  would  remark  with  ernphasia  '  what 
a  good  soldier  Fairfax  was.'  " 

Berkeley  Minor,  says  : 

*'  I  knew  Randolph  Fairfax  at  the  University  quite  well,  but  Hot 
so  intimately  as  I  did  after  he  joined  this  company,  (the  Rockbridge 
Battery.)  For  several  months  before  his  death,  I  was  his  me^s- 
mate  and   bed-fellow,  and  was  able  to  note   more  fully  the  teue  of 


40  SKITCH    OF    THE    LIFE    OF 

fiiiruest  piety  that  pervaded  his  words  and  actAon*.  He  was  uusel 
tish,  modest',  and  uniformly  kind  and  considerate  to  all.  If  there 
was  one  trait  in  him  more  striking  than  others,  it  was  his  calm, 
earnest,  trustful  demeanor  in  time  of  battle,  resulting  I  believe  from 
his  abiding  trust  in  the  Providence  and  love  of  God.  Many  fine 
young  men  have  been  removed  by  death  from  the  company,  yet  I 
"do  not  think  that  any  has  been  more  deeply  and  universally  lament- 
ed than  he." 

Joseph  Packard,  another  of  his  comrades,  says : 

*'  His  cheerful  courage,  his  coolness  and  steadiness,  made  him 
conspicuous  in  every  battle  field.  At  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill 
where  he  had  received  a  wound,  which  nine  out  of  ten  would  have 
considered  an  excuse  for  retiring  from  the  awful  scene,  he  persisted 
in  remaining  at  his  post ;  and  did  the  work  of  two,  until  ihe  battery 
left  the  field.  But  it  was  in  the  bearing ^nore  than  in  the  daring  of 
the  soldier's  life  that  his  lovely  character  displayed  itself.  He  never 
avoided  the  most  irksome  and  trying  duties.  If  he  had  selfishaesa, 
those  who  knew  him  long  and  well,  as  schoolmate  and  comrade 
never  discerned  it.  More  than  once  I  have  heard  his  beautiful 
Christian  example  spoken  of  by  irrehgious  comrades.  When  I 
heard  ofliis  death,  though  only  the  bare  fact  was  stated,  I  knew 
that  he  had  died  at  his  post,  in  the  path  of  duty  and  heroic  self- 
sacrifice.  Bitter  and  inexplicable  as  may  be  the  Providence  which 
laas  removed  one  so  full  of  proinlse  of  good  to  his  fellows,  I  feel 
that  we  may  thank  God,  that  we  have  been  permitted  to  witness  a 
life  so  Christ  like,  terminated  by  a  death  so  noble."  ^ 

Captain  Poague,  commanding  the  R©okbridge 
Battery,  says  in  a  letter  to  his  father  : 

"  In  simple  justice  to  your  son  I  desire  to  cxpre?is  my  high  ap. 
preciation  of  his  noble  character  aa  a  soldier,  a  christian  and  a 
gentleman.  Modest  and  courteous  in  his  deportment,  charitable 
and  unselfish  in  his  disposition,  cheerful  and  conscientious  in  bis 
performance  of  duty,  and  upright  and  consistent  in  his  walk  and 
conversation,  ho  was  a  universal  favorite  in  the  company,  and 
greatly  beloved  by  liis  iriends.  I  don't  think  I  have  ever  known  a 
young  man  uho.-'e  lii'e  was  so  fiee  from  the  frailties  of  human  na- 
ture, a  id  whose  chjiracter  in  all  its  aspects  formed  so  faultless  a 
model  for  tliC  imitaiion  of  others  Had  his  influence  been  restric- 
ted to  ihe  silent  powtr  and  beauty  of  his  example,  his  life  on  earth, 
short  as  it  was,  woul  I  no'  have  been  in  vain.  The  name  of  Ran- 
dolph Fairfax  will  not  soon  bo  forgotten  by  his  comrades,  and  his 
family  may  be  assured  that  tltere  are  many  who,  strangers  aa  they 
ar^',  deeply  pympathisc  with  them  in  their  bereavement." 

The  following  from  Gen.  Lee  will  be  a  fit  climax 
to  the  foregoing  tributes  : 


FANDOLPII    FAIRFAX.  41 

Camp  FREDfiRiCKSBURG,  Dec.  25tli,  1862. 
My  De;U'  Docfor  : — 

I  have  trrievel  most  deeply  at  the  death  of  your  noble  sou.  I 
liave  watched  his  conduct  from  the  coinnionoeraent  of  the  war,  and 
have  pointed  with  pride  to  the  patriotism,  self-denial  and  manline.-s 
of  ch  iracter  he  has  exhibited.  I  had  hoped  that  an  opportunity 
wouM  have  occurred  for  the  promotion  he  deserved  ;  not  that  it 
would  have  elevated  him,  but  have  shown  that  his  devotion  to  duty 
was  appreciated  by  hi.s  country.  Such  an  opportunity  would  nn- 
doubtcdly  have  Occ.irred ;  but  he  has  been  translated  to  a  better 
trorld,  for  which  his  purity  and  his  piety  have  eminently  fitted  him. 
You  do  not  require  to  be  told  how  r^reat  his  gain.  It  is  the  living 
for  whom  I  sorrow.  I  he^  you  will  offer  to  Mrs.  Fairfax  and  your 
daughters,  my  heartfelt  sympathy,  for  I  know  the  depth  of  their 
grief.  That  God  may  give  you  and  them  strength  to  bear  this 
great  aftlic'don  is  the  earnest  prayer  of  your  early  friend, 

R.  E.  LEE. 

Dr.  Orlando  Fairfax. 

An  enthusiastic  soldier  after  reading  Gen.  Lee's 
letter  exclaimed  :  "Such  an  honor  were  indeed  worth 
dying  for."  Another  soldier  not  less  enthusiastic 
said :  "  The  original  of  this  letter  if  addressed  to 
me  under  similar  circumstances,  I  should  preserve 
as  the  most  precious  I  eyer  received — a  thing  to  be 
handed  down  to  the  latest  posterity — a  testimonial 
which  a  stranger  would  regard  centuries  hence  as 
in  itself  a  Patent  of  Nobility." 


42  SKETCH    or    THE    LIFE    01- 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Analysis  0/  his  Character,  its  Sijuiwetvii,  its  Root — Tht  Man  of  the 
World  and  the  Christian — Faitli  and  Sense — His  Standard — E't- 
tract  from,  one  of  hin  Essays — The  Ground  of  his  Hope — His 
Diary, 

Lord  Bacon  sajs  a  man  that  is  young  in  years, 
may  be  old  in  lioiirs.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
lived  just  twenty  years  and  twenty  days.  If  we 
measure  his  life  by  years,  it  was  short,  and  we  may 
say  of  him  that  he  came  up  and  was  cut  down  like 
a  flower.  If  we  measure  it  by  the  number  of  erents, 
it  was  long,  for  it  was  crowded  with  events.  To 
have  been  in  one  great  battle  for  his  country  is  an 
era  in  a  man's  life  never  forgotten,  aud  to  which 
he  always  refers  with  pride.  Randolph  Fairfax  in 
the  space  of  sixteen  months,  was  in  ten  fierce  bat- 
tles and  many  intervening  skirmishes.  To  have  re- 
ceived the  approbation  of  his  teacher,  taken  the 
honors  of  his  school,  and  won  the  hearts  of  his  fel- 
low students  are  not  common  events.  To  have  at- 
tracted the  attentioia  and  elicited  the  commendation 
of  his  commanders,  is  an  honor  to  the  soldier  in  tke 
ranks.  But  to  hare  won  the  iinauirnons  applause 
of  his  comrades,  not  merely  for  courage  in  action, 
patience  in  suffering  and  for  uniform  devotion  to 
duty,  but  to  have  gained  their  esteem  and  affection, 
by  all  those  nameless  graces  which  beautified  his 
daily  life  in  camp,  is  a  higher  honor  still.  If  we 
analyse  his  life  and  character,  to  detect  the  secret 
of  his  popularity  and  success,  we  shall  not  find  it  in 
the  prominence  ©f  any  one  or  two  traits.  Some 
men  had  as  much  genius — others  as  high  culture — 
some  as  fine  a  person — others  as  much  modesty, 
piety,  sweetness  of  temper  and  gentleness  of  man- 


RAN  DOLPH    FAIRFAX.  43 

ners.  It  was,  tliat  these  elements  were  so  mixed 
in  him,  as  to  make  his  character  round  and  sjm* 
ruetrical."  if  we  search  for  the  germ  of  sueh  a 
cliaracter  we  sliall  find  it  to  be  a  deeply  rooted  re- 
ligious principle,  of  which  his  life  was  the  normal 
derelopment.  IFe  seemed  to  have,  we  learn  from 
his  diary,  an  habitual  sense  of  Jthe  presence  of  God — 
hearinjj;  his  word,  witnessing  his  actions  and  look- 
ing at  his  heait.  lie  lived  as  in  the  great  task- 
ftiaster's  eye.  Tliis  is  the  essential  difference  be- 
tween a  (■hristiaH  and  a  man  of  the  world.  The 
worldly  man  only  looks  at  things  tangible,  visible 
and  temporal,  lie  has  no  perce})tion  of  spiritual 
things,  lie  sees  only  by  the  light  of  his  naural  facul- 
ties. Faith  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen— it 
passes  the  bounds  of  scus«  ami  imparts  to  invisible 
and  eternal  tilings  the  life  and  4)0 wer  of  waking 
certainties  and  actual  existences.  This  is  the  victo- 
ry that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith. 

Again,  our  young  friend,  as  we  see  by  an  inspec- 
tienof  his  diary,  did  not  measure  himself  by  any 
human  standard.  lie  daily  looked  unto  Jesus. 
His  model  was  "God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  He 
aspired  after  conformity  to  His  image,  who  did  no 
sin  and  yet  died  for  the  sins  of  others.  As  Ran- 
dolph  himself  says,  in  a  manuscript  essay  which 
now  lies  before  us : 

"Where  caa  we  find  such  an  example  of  courage  in  doing 
duty  as  in  the  life  of  the  'raan  of  sorrows'  who  endured  the 
cross,  despising  the  shame?  Truly  this  is  an  example  to  fol- 
low, though  we  may  never  attain,  till,  perfected  by  him,  we 
sit  down  in  His  kingdom." 

•  TotKn  Tereifiut  Rofundv!^. 


44  SKETCH    OF    TMK    LIFJS    OK 


CHAPTER  XIT. 


^Vo  bu'ompatcihiflti^  hf-tiveen  the  Llfn  of  the  Soldier  and  that  of  the 
Christiajt- — Courage  and  Vhrispianity  compatible — Uhe  highest 
ti/pe  of  hrave.ru  h  the  maii  who  fears  God  and  vho  has  no  oihtr 
fear. 

Randolpli  Fairfax  adds  another  to  the  many  plea- 
sing illustrations  famished  by  this  war,  of  the  truth, 
that  there  is  notliing  incompatible  between  the  life  of 
a  Christian  and  that  of  a  soldier.  Indeed,  other 
things  being  equal,  a  conscientious  Christian  should 
make  the  best  soldier,  fie  will  not  straggle  from  the 
ranks,  skulk  his  dnty  nor  desert  his  colors.  Although 
war  is  in  general  inconsistent  with  the  genius  of 
Christianity,  and  wars  of  ambition  or  covetonsness, 
for  conquest  or  subjugation,  are  specially  wicked  as 
to  those  who  are  responsible  for  them ;  yet,  even  in 
such  cases,  it  may  be  incumbent  on  a  christian  citi- 
zen to  take  up  arms  in  obedience  to  the  powers 
'Hhat  bo.''  When  soldiers  asked  John  the  Baptist 
what  they  must  do,  he  did  not  raise  a  question  as  to 
the  lawfulness  of  war  in  general,  or  of  the  particular 
wars  in  which  they  were  enlisted,  but  dismissed  them 
with  the  comprehensive  precept — Do  violence  to 
no  man,  and  be  content  with  your  wages — that  is — 
do  your  duty  without  murmuring  and  without  any 
wanton  violation  of  the  rights  of  others.  As  to 
defensive  wars,  it  seems  to  be  generally  agreed  that 
the  J  are  lawful.  The  same  instinct  that  prompts 
an  innocent  bird  to  defend  its  nest  and  its  helpless 
young,  justifies  man  in  defending  his  home,  his  wife 
and  his  children — his  rights  of  person  and  of  pro- 
perty against  lawless  aggression.  And  the  soldier 
who  fights  and  falls  in  such  a  cause,  not  only  obeys 
instincts  which  are  a  law  of  nature,  but  is  a  martyr 
to  principle. 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  45 

Such  examples  also  prove  that  Christianitj  and 
courage  are  not  incompatible.  There  is  a  vulgar 
notion  that  a  Christian  must  needs  be  a  coward. 
This  notion  is  founded  upon  the  error  that  he  ouly  is 
the  brave  man  who  resents  every  insult  with  blows 
or  with  arms.  According  to  this  notion,  a  game- 
cock is  the  bravest  of  animals  and  a  vulgar  bully 
the  bravest  of  men.  But  the  truth  is,  that  fighting 
of  itself  is  no  proof  of  courage  at  all.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  often  the  result  of  cowardice,  having  no 
higher  motive  than  the  jeers  and  scoffs  of  other 
men.  This  deference  to  opinion  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  motives  of  human  conduct,  and  sometimes 
screws  the-  courage  of  the  most  abject  cowards  up 
to  the  lighting  point.  Many  cowards  would  face 
the  pistol  or  the  cannon,  and  quail  before  the  finger 
of  scorn  pointed  by  men  whom  they  despise.  If  we 
were  called  upon  to  define  a  brave  man,  we  should 
gay  of  him  that  he  was  a  man  who  fears  God  and 
who  has  no  other  fear.  That  such  were  the  prin- 
ciples of  Randolph  Fairfax,  we  learn  from  an  essay 
on  moral  courage,  written  by  him  before  the  war, 
in  which  he  contrasts  the  death  of  a  soldier,  sacrifi- 
cing his  life  on  the  field  of  battle  from  a  mere  sense 
of  honor,  with  the  death  of  a  Christian  martyr,  dy- 
ing from  a  sense  of  duty  : 

"The  soldier,"  he  says,  "encouraged  by  the  shouts  of  his 
comrades  and  the  stirring  blasts  of  the  bugle,  aad  knowing 
that  a  more  certain  death  and  di.-'grare  awaits  him  should  he 
yield  to  the  base  impuLsqs  of  his  nature,  may  perform  prodi- 
gies of  valor,  and,  rushing  through  storms  of  shot,  meet  death 
at  the  cannon's  mouth.  Contrast  him  with  the  martyr  who, 
rather  than  abjure  his  faith  and  d  part  from  the  path  of  duty, 
endures  the  scofT'S  of  a  misguided  rabble  and  dies  a  death  many 
times  more  terrible  than  that  of  the  soldier.  How  vastly  su- 
perior is  the  courage  of  the  man  who  surmounts  all  difficulties 
and  braves  all  dangers  from  a  sense  of  duty." 

These  principles  our  young  friend  not  merely 


Aij  SKETCH    or    THE    LIFS    Of 

maintained  in  theory,  but  he  illustrated  them  in  his 
life  and  sealed  them  with  his  blood. 

He  only  lived  but  till  he  was  a  man. 
The  which  no  sooner  had  his  prowess  confirmed, 
In  the  unshrinking  station  where  he  fought ; 
,  But  like  a  man  he  died. 

One  might  well  suppose  that  a  young  man  so 
much  admired,  beloved  and  lauded  as  we  have 
seen  that  Randolph  Fairfax  was,  by  his  fellow-stu- 
dents and  fellow-soldiers,  would  be  likely  to  have 
more  of  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisee  than  of  the  Pub- 
lican. But  it  would  seem  that  the  higher  a  man  rises 
above  the  earth,  and  the  nearer  his  vision  of  God, 
the  deeper  is  his  insight  into  his  own  heart.  When 
we  only  hear  of  God  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  we 
may  have  a  good  opinion  of  ourselves,  but  when  we 
see"^  him  with  the  eye  of  faith  we  abhor  ourselves,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  That  this  was  the  case 
with  our  young  friend,  will  appear  in  the  daily  re- 
cord of  his  experience  made  when  he  was  alone 
with  God,  and  which  he  never  dreamed  would  be 
seen  by  the  eye  of  man;  for  no  one  knew  of  its  ex- 
istence until  after  his  death.  We  make  a  few  more 
extracts  from  it,  which  are  a  fair  sample  ot  the 
whole  book : 

*'  How  little  do  1  know  of  mysoif,  oh  God  !  I  know  that 
my  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  I  pray  Thee  to 
make  it  known  to  me,  that  I  may  cast  all  the  burden  of  my 
sin  upon  Ohri.-t,  and  obtain  a  new  heart.  Oh,  Father,  reveal 
thyself  to  me,  through  thy  Son,  and  shed  abroad  thy  love  in 
my  heart.  Let  me  not  deceive  myself  by  any  appearance  of 
holiness,  but  may  I  forget  those  things  which  are  behind,  and 
press  forward  towards  Thee.  Oh  when  shall  I  cease  sinning 
and  be  truly  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  My  heart  is 
not  influenced  as  it  ought  to  be  by  the  love  of  God,  or  how 
could  I  find  it  so  hard  to  serve  him  ?  Oh  God  put  thy  fear  in 
my  heart,  and  let  not  the  fear  of  man  keep  me  from  my  duty. 
Oh  reveal  thyself  to  me  and  show  mo  my  deep  sinfulness,  and 
show  me,  also,  my  Saviour  on  the  cross,  and  enable  me  to  go 
to  him.     Wean  me  from  this  sinful  world ;  soften  my  heart, 


RANDOLPH    FAIRFAX.  47 

and  give  me  a  single  eye  to  thy  glory.  Grant  me  grace  to 
keep  all  my  good  resolutions,  not  trusting  in  my  own  strength, 
which  is  weakness,  but  in  thine  almighty  aid,  which  can 
make  me  truly  one  of  thy  servants,  although  I  am  so  sinful." 

Again : 

'*  Another  Sabbath  is  past,  and  how  have  I  improved  my 
opportunities  ?  Have  I  grown  in  grace  ?  My  soul  sinks 
within  me  when  I  reflect  upon  these  questions.  I  have  sinned 
against  the  great  majesty  of  God  in  not  worshipping  him  with 
my  whole  heart.  I  have  partaken  of  the  Holy  Communion, 
and  I  hope  to  the  good  of  my  soul  ;  but  if  not,  how  great  is 
my  danger  ?  Do  L  love  God,  or  no,  is  a  questioa  which  tries 
my  very  heart.  Oh  God,  if  I  have  never  loved  thee  before, 
help  me  to  begin  to-day.  Oh,  how  hard  my  heart  seems.  I 
can  think  of  God,  but  he  seems  like  some  great  being  afar 
off,  whom  I  can  never  reach.  My  faith  is  so  small.  Oh  re- 
veal thyself  to  me ;  my  heart  is  so  proud  and  sinful,  and  so 
much  actuated  by  the  praises  of  men.  Oh  God,  humble  me 
in  the  dust — teach  me  to  know  myself,  and  make  thyself 
known  to  me  through  my  crucified  Lord.  Make  the  union 
between  thy  spirit  and  mine  closer  and  closer." 

Such  was  Randolph  Fairfax's  estimate  of  himself 
when  alone  with  God,  whoso  all-seeing  eye  was 
shining  through  hira,  revealing  every  mote  to  his 
own  eye.  While  the  mouths  of  others  were  ring- 
ing with  his  praises,  he  laid  his  hand  upon  his  own 
mouth  in  the  dark,  and  cried,  ''  God  be  merciful  to 
me,  a  sinner."  Such  is  the  history  of  a  private  in 
the  ranks,  which  we  dedicate  to  the  privates  of  the 
Confederate  army.  May  they  follow  the  example 
of  his  life  as  he  followed  Christ,  and  may  his  death 
inspire  them  with  renewed  devotion  to  the  cause 
which  drew  from  his  bleeding  heart  its  last  libation. 

How  glorious  fall  the  Taliant,  sword  in  hand, 

In  front  of  baUlo  for  their  native  land  ; 

iiut,  oh,  what  ills  await  the  wretrh  that  yields — 

A  recreant  outcast  from  his  country's  fields. 

The  mother  whom  he  loves  shall  quit  her  home, 

An  aged  father  at  his  side  shall  roam  ; 

His  little  ones  shall  weeping  with  him  go, 

And  a  young  wife  participate  his  woe  ; 

Whil&  scorned  and  scowled  upon  by  every  face, 

They  pine  for  food,  and  beg  from  place  to  place. 


48  SKETCH    OF    THE    LIFE    Oi 


l^taio  of  his  breed — dishonoring  manhood's  form— 
All  ills  shall  cleave  to  him.     Allliction's  storm 
3hs.ll  blind  him,  wandering  in  the  vale  ol  teara, 
"Fill  lost  to  all  but  ignominious  fears  ; 
PTe  shall  not  blush  to  Icnve  a  recreant's  name, 
And  cliildren,  like  himself,  enured  to  shame. 

But  ire  will  combat  for  our  fathers'  land, 
And  we  will  drain  the  life  blood  where  we  stand, 
To  s-ive  our  children.     Fight  ye  side  by  side, 
And  serried  close  ye  men  of  youtliful  pride, 
Disdaining  fear,  and  deeming  liglit  the  cost, 
Ol  life  itself  in  glorious  battle  lost. 

Leave  not  our  sires  to  stem  the  unequal  fight, 
"Whose  liinb^  are  nerved  no  more  with  buoyant  might 
Nor  ligging  backward,  let  the  younger  breast,- 
•Pcrm^'^  tiie  man  of  age,  (a  sight  un))lessed,) 
To  welter  in  the  combat's  foremost  thrust, 
nis  hoary  head  disheveled  in  the  dust, 
Aiid  venerable  bosom,  bleeding,  burst. 

lot  youih's  fair  form,  though  fallen,  is  ever  fair, 
And  beautiful  in  death  the  boy  appears; 
The  hero  boy,  that  dies  in  blooming  years  ; 
Ib  man's  regret  he  lives,  and  woman's  tearsj 
More  sacred  than  in  life,  and  lovelier  far        3 
Fer  havlnj  perished  in  the  front  of  war. 


M^ 


